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Participation in protest fishery results in fines
Gander… Three individuals who took part in a protest fishery have been convicted of fishing cod during a closed time. Gerald Babstock and Gordon Lee, of Happy Adventure, and Harold Samson, of Sandringham, were each fined $250 in Gander Provincial Court on April 7, 2006.
Fishery officers from Clarenville Detachment were conducting patrols in Bonavista Bay on Saturday July 30, 2005, in response to a planned illegal protest cod fishery that was publicly promoted for that day. While patrolling in the Happy Adventure area, fishery officers observed the three men fishing and a subsequent search of their vessel found them to be in possession of four fresh cod.
In sentencing, the judge pointed out that a person is not permitted to break the law even in a protest situation.
Hare Bay residents fined for obstructing fishery guardians
Oswald Brown, Hubert Glover and Cecil Collins, all of Hare Bay, were convicted in Gander Provincial Court of obstructing fishery guardians.
On July 9, 2005, fishery guardians from the Clarenville Detachment patrolling the Hare Bay, Bonavista Bay area, observed two boats landing at a wharf. Mr. Glover prevented the fishery guardians from approaching the vessels, allowing Mr. Brown the opportunity to steam away from the wharf and out of the area.
Meanwhile, Mr. Collins, the operator of the second vessel, refused to cooperate with the fishery guardians and walked away from the area.
Mr. Glover and Mr. Brown were each fined $1,000 and Mr. Collins was fined $250.
Evening stakeout nets illegal fishers
Two residents of Southport, Trinity Bay, have been convicted of fishing cod during a closed time. Walter Dean, a commercial fisher, was fined $1,500 and William Norris was fined $500. They appeared in Clarenville Provincial Court.
Fishery officers from the Clarenville Detachment were conducting an evening stakeout in the Southport area on November 16, 2005, when at approximately 8:00 p.m., a boat was observed returning to port.
When fishery officers arrived at the wharf, Mr. Dean and Mr. Norris were pulling two nets from their boat and eight fresh cod were found in their possession.
A third individual involved in the incident pleaded not guilty and will appear in court at a later date.
Fined for by-catch and crab overruns
In St. John’s Provincial Court on April 5, 2006, Harold Williams, of Bay Bulls, was convicted of exceeding his cod by-catch during the 2004 winter flounder fishery and exceeding his 2004 crab quota. Mr. Williams received fines totalling $1,700 and relinquished the benefit he gained from 695 lbs of crab overruns—a value of $500.
Fishery officers from the Bay Roberts Detachment charged Mr. Williams following a review of his 2004 groundfish and crab landings records.
For more information:
Sam Whiffen
Communications Officer
Fisheries and Oceans Canada
(709) 772-7631
Kim Penney
Communications Officer
Fisheries and Oceans Canada
(709) 772-7629
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