Man fishing in conservation area near Nanaimo fined $6K, fishing gear seized
Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) says a Nanaimo man was fined thousands of dollars and had his fishing gear seized after fishing in a conservation area off Vancouver Island.
The DFO says that the angler, Colin Wood, was spotted in the Northumberland Channel Rockfish Conservation Area, west of Gabriola Island and southeast of Snake Island, on Aug. 31.
A DFO patrol vessel approached Wood's fishing boat and saw that he was throwing fish overboard.
"When questioned, Mr. Wood denied fishing, disposing of fish, or acknowledging that he was in an RCA (Rockfish Conservation Area)," said the DFO in a release Wednesday.
The DFO says the fishery officers also found evidence of freshly killed fish on the boat.
Wood was charged with several offences, and on April 5 he was fined a total of $6,000 and had his fishing gear forfeited.
One of the fines, totalling $2,500, was for obstructing a fishery officer by throwing fish overboard. Another $2,500 fine was for making false or misleading statements to a fishery officer, and a final $1,000 fine was for having more Chinook salmon than is allowed.
"The government of Canada is committed to protecting Canada’s fisheries resources, and the habitat that supports them, for generations to come," said the DFO in a release Wednesday.
The DFO asks anyone with information on illegal fishing activities is asked to call the DFO Pacific region reporting line at 1-800-465-4336, or email DFO.ORR-ONS.MPO@dfo-mpo.gc.ca.
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