Campbell River, B.C. - A long-time North Island commercial trawl captain pled guilty and was fined $3,000 in Campbell River Provincial Court February 24, 2009, on a charge of illegal fishing under the Fisheries Act.
Following a Vancouver Island Conservation and Protection Special Investigation Unit inquiry, Jay Bradley George, vessel master of the fishing trawler “Viking Enterprise,” was charged with unlawfully fishing in a closed area on March 21, 2007, leading to his conviction this year.
Mr. George set trawl gear within the closed sub-area of 108-2, commonly referred to as the "Tide Marks." The trawl gear was towed for approximately 75 minutes for a distance of approximately 1.9 nautical miles within this closed area. Fishery officers subsequently determined that approximately 150 pounds of Pacific Ocean perch, and 1,000 pounds of arrow tooth flounder, were harvested.
Sub-area 108-2 is closed to commercial groundfish trawling from October 1 to March 31 each year in an effort to protect spawning female Pacific Ocean perch; a measure that was implemented in 1986 by the Department of Fisheries and Oceans following talks with the Groundfish Advisory Committee on conservation concerns. The closure is detailed in the Pacific Region Integrated Fisheries Management Plan, March 10, 2007, to March 31, 2008, a document which was included in the groundfish trawl licensing package received by Mr. George in early March 2007.
DFO acts to end illegal fishing activity. As part of this work, the Department asks the general public for information on activities of this nature or any contravention of the Fisheries Act and Regulations. Anyone with information can call the toll-free violation reporting line at 1-800-465-4336.
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For more information:
Leri Davies, Strategic Media Relations Advisor
Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Pacific Region
(604) 666-8675
