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Quesnel, B.C. - Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) announced
today that a total penalty of $80,000 has been handed down to the B.C. Ministry
of Transportation and their contractor for failing to protect fish habitat during
a construction project in 2003.
Between September 6 and September 8, 2003, construction activity
around the re-alignment of Highway 97 over the Cottonwood River bridge caused sediment
to be deposited in the Cottonwood River, 15 km north of Quesnel. Neelco Construction
1986 Inc. was performing the construction on behalf of the provincial Ministry of
Transportation.
Fishery officers were contacted by the Ministry of Transportation’s
environmental monitor, as required under a Fisheries Act authorization. An
investigation confirmed that adequate measures were not taken to protect fish or
fish habitat during the construction process. As a result, a deposit of a deleterious
substance (sediment) entered the Cottonwood River, an important salmon and trout
river system.
Recently, in Quesnel provincial court, the two parties pled guilty
and were fined for depositing sediment in waters frequented by fish under Section
36(3) of the Fisheries Act. The Province of B.C., as represented by the B.C.
Ministry of Transportation, was fined $45,000, of which $44,000 will be directed
to DFO for the promotion of conservation, protection and enhancement of fish and
fish habitat in the Quesnel area. Neelco Construction 1986 Inc. was fined $35,000,
of which, $34,000 will be directed to DFO for the same activity.
The protection of fish habitat is everyone’s responsibility.
Under the Fisheries Act, fish habitat is defined as "spawning grounds and
nursery, rearing, food supply and migration areas on which fish depends directly
or indirectly in order to carry out their life processes."
DFO urges the public to report fish habitat damage or any other
violation by calling the 24-hour, toll-free Observe, Record, and Report line at
1-800-465-4336.
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FOR MORE INFORMATION:
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Michelle Imbeau
Communications Advisor
Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Pacific Region
604-666-2872 |
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NR-PR-07-05E |
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