Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Maritimes Region, announced today that one company and 52 individuals have been convicted and fined nearly half a million dollars for fishery violations from June to August 2014. The fines total approximately $480,000 and were levied upon conviction for violations that took place in waters from the northern tip of Cape Breton to the New Brunswick-Maine border.
From June to August 2014, the top five fines levied by species were:
- Halibut – $394,633
- Lobster – $54,800
- Groundfish – $10,550
- Gaspereau – $5,000
- Scallop – $3,750
The Government of Canada is committed to safeguarding the long-term health and productivity of Canada’s fisheries resources, and the habitat that supports them, for generations to come. Fisheries and Oceans Canada has a mandate to protect and conserve marine resources and to prosecute offenders under the Fisheries Act. It ensures and promotes compliance with the Act and other laws and regulations through a combination of land, air, and sea patrols, as well as education and awareness activities.
Anyone wishing to report suspicious fishing activity or habitat violations is asked to contact their nearest Fisheries and Oceans office or call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 in Nova Scotia and New Brunswick.
src:news.gc.ca