NEWFOUNDLAND AND LABRADOR – Provincial courts recently convicted two individuals of fishery offences following investigations by fishery officers from Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO).
On July 7, 2009 in provincial court at St. Anthony, Donald Reardon of Croque was charged with offloading his catch without an authorization number, fishing from a vessel with no vessel registration number, and failing to carry a fishing licence while engaged in fishing activities. Mr. Reardon was fined $600 and 195 pounds of cod was forfeited.
On September 2, 2008 fishery officers from the St. Anthony detachment were conducting a vehicle patrol and inspected Mr. Reardon, who was offloading and filleting his catch of cod fish on the wharf in Croque.
On May 8, 2009 at provincial court in Corner Brook, James Moss of Deer Lake was convicted of exceeding gear limits as specified in his licence conditions. He was fined $250 and four fishing lines and 25 pounds of smelt were forfeited. The conviction resulted from an inspection by a DFO fisheries officer from the Rocky Harbour detachment on March 5, 2009.
DFO is committed to the conservation and protection of marine resources in Newfoundland and Labrador. Anyone wishing to report suspicious fishing activities may do so by contacting their nearest DFO office or calling 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
