Campbell River, B.C. whale-watching guide fined $10K for orca encounter
A whale-watching guide on Vancouver Island has been fined thousands of dollars for getting too close to a pod of orcas.
Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) says the incident took place on May 27, 2019, near Willow Point – just south of Campbell River, B.C.
The DFO says that Nickalaus Templeman, a guide working for Campbell River Whale and Bear Excursions, was witnessed by two other whale-watching guides illegally approaching a killer whale pod in the area.
Under the federal Fisheries Act, whale-watching vessels are prohibited from being within 200 metres of an orca in B.C. waters. The DFO says that Templeman was seen moving to within 35 metres to the orcas and encircling them.
"Mr. Templeman acknowledged over the VHF radio that he was aware of the presence of the whale pod," said the DFO in a release Thursday.
"However, he continued to travel in their direction and positioned his vessel in a way to ensure that the whales would have to pass him in close proximity."
The incident was reported by other whale watching guides and a conservation officer who was called to the scene to assess the situation, according to the DFO.
"There were six to seven commercial whale watching vessels in the area of the incident who subsequently provided witness statements, as did several of the tourists who were on board," said the DFO.
"These witnesses also provided significant amounts of photos and video statements."
In September, Tempeleman was found guilty of the violations in provincial court and was fined $10,000 for the incident. He was served a $5,000 fine under the Species At Risk act, and another $5,000 through the federal Fisheries Act.
The money collected from the fines will go towards "conservation and protection of marine mammals in the waters off British Columbia," according to the DFO.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Breast cancer screening should start at age 40, Canadian Cancer Society says
The Canadian Cancer Society says all provinces and territories should lower the starting age for breast cancer screening to 40.
DEVELOPING Live updates as Stormy Daniels testifies at Trump hush money trial
Adult film star Stormy Daniels is on the stand a second time Thursday as former U.S. president Donald Trump’s hush money case continues in Manhattan. Follow live updates here.
Ontario family receives massive hospital bill as part of LTC law, refuses to pay
A southwestern Ontario woman has received an $8,400 bill from a hospital in Windsor, Ont., after she refused to put her mother in a nursing home she hated -- and she says she has no intention of paying it.
Canadian-Israeli man shot dead in Egypt; claim links killing to Gaza
A Canadian man 'of Jewish Israeli descent' has been shot dead in the Egyptian city of Alexandria in a suspected criminal case, a security source said, while a previously unknown militant group said it carried out the attack in reaction to the war in Gaza.
Here are the ultraprocessed foods you most need to avoid, according to a 30-year study
Studies have shown that ultraprocessed foods can have a detrimental impact on health. But 30 years of research show they don’t all have the same impact.
Ontario man frustrated after $3,500 paving job leaves driveway in shambles
An Ontario man considering having his driveway paved received a quote from a company for $7,000, but then, another paver in the neighbourhood knocked on his door and offered half that rate.
Why these immigrants to Canada say they're thinking about leaving, or have already moved on
For some immigrants, their dreams of permanently settling in Canada have taken an unexpected twist.
BREAKING Sheldon Keefe out as head coach of Toronto Maple Leafs
The Toronto Maple Leafs have fired head coach Sheldon Keefe. The team made the announcement Thursday after the Original Six franchise lost to the Boston Bruins in seven games in the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs.
Boeing 737 catches fire and skids off the runway at a Senegal airport, injuring 10 people
A Boeing 737-300 plane carrying 85 people skidded off a runway at the airport in Dakar, Senegal's capital, injuring 10 people, according to the transport minister, an airline safety group and footage from a passenger that showed the aircraft on fire.