LOG SALVAGER FINED $20,000 FOR REMOVING LOGS FROM THE KEMANO RIVER

Kitimat, B.C. – Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) announced today that a log salvager was fined $20,000 under the Fisheries Act for removing logs from the Kemano River.  The removal of logs compromised a log jam that is fish habitat.

In November 2001, DFO was advised that Jerrad Zuchotski was removing logs from the Kemano River.  Mr. Zuchotski painted the ends of the freshly cut logs to conceal his activity. A joint investigation by DFO and by the British Columbia Ministry of Forests revealed that nine large Sitka spruce logs had been removed from a log jam in the Kemano River, and were bundled up at the mouth of the river. The value of the logs was estimated at $15,000.

Samples were cut from the logs and from the stumps and tops of trees from the Kemano River by BC Ministry of Forests’ staff.  This sampling was done in an attempt to match the samples from the Kemano River to those logs that were taken by Mr. Zuchotski.  The samples were sent to be analyzed in order to match DNA.  The results were conclusive; all the samples from the Kemano River were matched by DNA to stems stored in the bundle.

On July 26, 2005 in Terrace provincial court, Mr. Zuchotski pled guilty to one count of fish habitat destruction and was fined $20,000.  Of this total amount, $17,000 will be used by Fisheries and Oceans Canada to promote 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 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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