COMMERCIAL SALMON SEINE FISHERMAN FINED FOR NOT BRAILING CATCH

Port Hardy, B.C. - Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) announced today that a commercial salmon seine fisherman has been fined for failing to comply with the terms and conditions of a commercial fishing licence, specifically failing to remove salmon from the water by means of a brailing apparatus.

On October 20, 2004, fishery officers were conducting a routine patrol of the commercial chum salmon fishery in Queen Charlotte Strait near Port Hardy.  Fishery officers observed Karl Thomas, skipper of the vessel Al-KE II, bringing the seine net and fish directly onto the vessel without using a brailing device.  Mr. Thomas had been previously charged and successfully convicted for not using a brailing apparatus in 1998.

The brailing technique, which removes fish from the purse seine net by means of a large dip net, reduces the stress and crushing effect on fish.  In addition, brailing allows for the sorting of catch in order to comply with the mandatory release of stocks of concern such as coho, chinook and steelhead.

On September 14, 2005, in Port Hardy provincial court, Mr. Thomas was found guilty and fined $3,000, of which $2,500 will be directed towards a local salmonid enhancement association to promote the conservation, protection and enhancement of fish and fish habitat. 

Fisheries and Oceans Canada is extremely concerned with this type of illegal activity and asks for the continued assistance from the general public and commercial fishers for information on activities of this nature or any contravention of the Fisheries Act and Regulations.  Anyone with information can call the 24-hour, toll-free Observe, Record, and Report line at 1-800-465-4336.

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For more information:

Jeanette Lam

Communications Officer

Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Pacific Region