A GUILTY PLEA LEADS TO $3,000 FINE FOR SELLING FISH NOT CAUGHT UNDER AUTHORITY OF A LICENCE AUTHORIZING SALES

Campbell River, B.C. – Fisheries and Oceans Canada announced today that Nick Cooksley of Freddie’s Pub and Harvest Restaurant & Catering was fined $3,000 for selling fish not caught under authority of a licence that allows sales.  The majority of the fines will be directed towards habitat enhancement projects in the Campbell River area.

On November 22, 2005 in Campbell River provincial court, Mr. Cooksley, the manager and owner of the numbered company 469660 B.C. LTD.  carrying on business as Freddie’s Pub and Harvest Restaurant & Catering, pled guilty and was convicted under Section 35(2) of the Fishery (General) Regulations for selling fish not caught and retained under authority of a licence that authorizes sale.  Mr. Cooksley was fined a total of $3,000 of which $2,900 was ordered to go towards habitat and enhancement projects in the Campbell River area.  All seized fish were forfeited to Crown.

This case originated on September 31, 2005 during an inspection of the commercial storage freezer at a local business, Freddie’s Pub and Harvest Restaurant & Catering, in Campbell River.  Fishery officers found 34 bags of frozen halibut (total 208 lbs), seven bags of frozen lingcod (total 27 lbs) and 43 salmon steaks whose source appeared to be questionable.  Further investigation revealed that some of the fish were bought from an unknown source and some of the fish were sport caught by Mr. Cooksley.  Mr. Cooksley admitted that he was illegally selling fish at his business. 

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

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For more information:

Jeanette Lam

Communications Officer

Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Pacific Region

(604) 666-2872