July 14, 2009
NEWFOUNDLAND AND LABRADOR – Three fish harvesters have been convicted of violating federal fishery regulations following investigations by Fisheries and Oceans Canada.
In provincial court at Grand Bank on May 4, 2009 Lester Fudge of Burin was convicted of possession of undersized Atlantic halibut, failure to accurately record catch information, failure to have all catch weighed by a dockside observer and possession of processed fish that could not be accurately weighed. He was fined $10,000 and his catch was forfeited by the court.
On July 18, 2008, fishery officers from the Marystown detachment were conducting an inspection of Mr. Fudge's vessel, Nancy & Boys, in Burin. The inspection revealed the illegal catch held in containers onboard the vessel after the offloading. The officers found 25 undersized Atlantic halibut, 182 pounds of cod fillets, 99 pounds of redfish fillets, 45 pounds of cod heads and 20 pounds of cod tongues.
In provincial court at Grand Falls on April 6, 2009 Wesley Snook of Harbour Breton was fined $750 and his catch was forfeited by the court for possession of oversized salmon and making a false or misleading statement to a fishery guardian.
On July 6, 2008, while on patrol in Head Bay d'Espoir, fishery guardians from the Harbour Breton detachment observed Mr. Snook with oversized salmon while angling. Mr. Snook left the scene when approached and when apprehended provided a false and misleading statement.
On April 28, 2009 in provincial court at Port de Grave, Edward Morgan was fined $700 for failing to offload his entire crab catch in the presence of a dockside monitor. On July 26, 2007, the dockside monitor discovered an additional 530 pounds of crab that was not monitored onboard Mr. Morgan's boat, the Michael Mariner III.
Conservation measures exist to protect and rebuild fish stocks so that these sustainable fishing resources can be enjoyed by communities throughout Newfoundland and Labrador for generations to come. Anyone wishing to report suspicious fishing activities may do so by contacting their nearest DFO office or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.
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For more information:
Sam Whiffen, Communications Officer
Fisheries and Oceans Canada
(709) 772-7631
