Thirty-one individuals were convicted under the Fisheries Act.
In the inland recreational salmon fishery, individual fines up to $1,000 were issued for offences such as illegally landing salmon for another license holder, failure to affix tags to salmon, improper tagging of salmon, and failure to release foul-hooked salmon. Other penalties included gear forfeiture and prohibitions of up to five years from participating in the inland fishery.
In the recreational groundfish (cod) fishery, individual fines up to $750 were issued for exceeding the daily bag limit of groundfish. Other penalties included forfeitures of gear and prohibition from participation in the 2017 recreational groundfish fishery.
In the crab fishery, individual fines of up to $2,000 were issued for fishing crab during closed times and for fishing crab in a Conservation Exclusion Zone.
The following is a detailed list of convictions from across the province:
Name: George Lewis, Joe Batt’s Arm
Charge description: Fishery Ground Regulations 22(7) - Failed to set Herring gill net at least (1) fathom below the surface of the water
Species: Herring Bait
Penalties, Forfeitures, Prohibitions or Orders: $500 fine with eight months to pay
Date of conviction: Nov. 29, 2016
Name: Kenneth Anstey, Summerford
Charge description: Section 22(7) fishery general regulations – exceeding daily limit of capelin and section 22(7) fishery general regulations – failure to accurately complete DFO fishing logbook
Species: Capelin
Penalties, Forfeitures, Prohibitions or Orders: $800 fine with one year to pay, $1,000 fine with one year to pay and 79 (2) order – fine of $824 representing Anstey’s share of excess capelin landed.
Date of conviction: Nov. 21, 2016
Name: Burnell Anstey, Summerford
Charge descriptions: Section 22(7) – Fishery general regulations – unmarked lobster traps
Species: lobster
Penalties, Forfeitures, Prohibitions or Orders: $500 fine with 60 days to pay
Date of conviction: Nov. 15, 2016
Name: Lawrence Hawkins, Summerford
Charge descriptions: Section 22(7) – Fishery general regulations – unmarked lobster traps
Species: lobster
Penalties, Forfeitures, Prohibitions or Orders: $500 fine with 60 days to pay
Date of conviction: Nov. 15, 2016
Name: Philip Waterman, Twillingate
Charge descriptions: Section 22(7) – Fishery general regulations – unloaded crab without a dockside monitor present
Species: crab
Penalties, Forfeitures, Prohibitions or Orders: $1,000fine with 60 days to pay and forfeiture of crab valued at $153
Date of conviction: Nov. 15, 2016
Name: Clyde Hunt, Wareham
Charge descriptions: Section 22(7) – Fishery general regulations – fishing in a closed area (conservation exclusion zone)
Species: snow crab
Penalties, Forfeitures, Prohibitions or Orders: $1,000 fine with seven months to pay Date of conviction: Dec. 21, 2016
Name: Harvey Anderson, Burin
Charge descriptions: Section 6(4) Newfoundland Wildlife Regulations – Possession of improperly tagged salmon and Section 33 Fisheries Act – possess fish caught in contravention.
Species: salmon
Penalties, Forfeitures, Prohibitions or Orders: $250 fine with 30 days to pay and five years prohibition from holding inland fishing license
Date of conviction: Dec. 14, 2016
Name: Winston Baker, Grand Bank
Charge descriptions: Section 6(4) Newfoundland Wildlife Regulations – Possession of improperly tagged salmon and 10(2) Newfoundland and Labrador Fisheries regulations – failure to release foul hooked fish.
Species: salmon
Penalties, Forfeitures, Prohibitions or Orders: $500 fine with two months to pay, forfeiture of rod/reel/lure and one Atlantic salmon and five years prohibition from holding inland fishing license
Date of conviction: Dec. 14, 2016
Name: Brett Cox, English Harbour West
Charge descriptions: Section 22(7) Fishery general regulations – condition of license - misreporting
Species: groundfish and white hake
Penalties, Forfeitures, Prohibitions or Orders: $100 fine
Date of conviction: Dec. 14, 2016
Name: Steward Hodge, Lord’s Cove
Charge descriptions: Section 6(3) Wildlife Regulations – failure to affix a tag, Section 6(4)Wildlife Regulations – improperly tagged salmon and 10(2) Newfoundland and Labrador Fishery Regulations- failure to release foul hooked fish
Species: salmon
Penalties, Forfeitures, Prohibitions or Orders: $600fine with three months to pay, Forfeitures of rod/reel/lure, and one Atlantic Salmon and Prohibited from holding an inland fishing licence for a period of five years.
Date of conviction: Dec. 14, 2016
Name: Desmond King, Grand Bank
Charge descriptions: Section 6(3) Wildlife Regulations – improperly tagged salmon and 10(2) Newfoundland and Labrador Fishery Regulation.- failure to release foul hooked fish
Species: salmon
Penalties, Forfeitures, Prohibitions or Orders: $500 fine with two months to pay, forfeitures of rod/reel/lure and prohibited from holding an inland fishing licence for a period of 5 years
Date of conviction: Dec. 14, 2016
Name: Martin Burton, Springdale
Charge descriptions: Section 52(a) Atlantic Fishery Regulations - Fishing Crab close time
Species: crab
Penalties, Forfeitures, Prohibitions or Orders: $2000 fine with one year to pay and 79(2) Order – 15 minute VMS for all Crab fishing conducted during 2017 season
Date of conviction: Dec. 6, 2016
Name: Todd House, Hawke’s Bay
Charge descriptions: Exceeding daily bag limit of Groundfish (Recreational)
Species: recreational groundfish fishery
Penalties, Forfeitures, Prohibitions or Orders: 750.00 fine with 12 months to pay,
One year prohibition from participating in the Recreational Groundfish Fisheryand forfeitures of one wooden reel with line and hook attached at a value of $30, one-five gallon plastic bucket, six split Atlantic cod, 10 Atlantic cod fillets,
13 fish tongues and two unidentifiable fish.
Date of conviction: Nov. 11, 2016
Name: Walter Sheppard, Hawke’s Bay
Charge descriptions: Exceeding daily bag limit of Groundfish (Recreational)
Species: recreational groundfish fishery
Penalties, Forfeitures, Prohibitions or Orders: $750 fine with 12 months to pay,
One year prohibition from participating in the Recreational Groundfish Fisheryand forfeitures of one wooden reel with line and hook attached at a value of $30, one-five gallon plastic bucket, six split Atlantic cod, 10 Atlantic cod fillets,
13 fish tongues and two unidentifiable fish.
Date of conviction: Nov. 11, 2016
Name: Walter Sheppard, Hawke’s Bay
Charge descriptions: Exceeding daily bag limit of Groundfish (Recreational)
Species: recreational groundfish fishery
Penalties, Forfeitures, Prohibitions or Orders: $750 fine with 12 months to pay,
One year prohibition from participating in the Recreational Groundfish Fisheryand forfeitures of one wooden reel with line and hook attached at a value of $30, one-five gallon plastic bucket, six split Atlantic cod, nine Atlantic cod fillets,
12 fish tongues and two unidentifiable fish.
Date of conviction: Nov. 11, 2016
Name: Lloyd Burry, Eastport
Charge descriptions: Section 22(7) Fishery General Regulations - Exceeding daily amount of capelin to be landed
Species: capelin
Penalties, Forfeitures, Prohibitions or Orders: $900 fine and $862.12 clawback for value of excess capelin landed
Date of conviction: Nov. 24, 2016
Name: Chris Dawson, Labrador City
Charge descriptions: Section 34 (3) of the Fishery General Regulations - Wasting fish that is suitable for human consumption that was caught for sport purposes and Section 6(3) of the Wildlife Regulations - Did not affix a tag to a fish that was retained
Species: salmon
Penalties, Forfeitures, Prohibitions or Orders: $500 with 12 months to pay, $500 with 12 months to pay and prohibited from angling in inland waters for one year
Date of conviction: Nov. 24, 2016
Name: Bryant Blake, Parsons Pond
Charge descriptions: Section 22(7) Fishery General Regulations - Unlawfully fail to comply with a condition of that licence, to wit: fish for Snow Crab outside of Zone H in Crab Fishing Area 12
Species: snow crab
Penalties, Forfeitures, Prohibitions or Orders: $1,000 fine and $720 fine as clawback of a portion of the net benefit received for the catch from the closed area
Date of conviction: Nov. 15, 2016
Name: Eugene Payne, Trout River
Charge descriptions: Section 13(1)(a) Atlantic Fishery Regulations - Use a vessel that did not have a vessel registration card issued to that vessel to fish for snow crab, Section 33 Fisheries Act - Possess Atlantic codfish caught in contravention to the Fisheries Act from a vessel that has been caught in accordance with the Act and the regulations and Section 33 (1)(b)Fishery General Regulations - Fail to release codfish that was caught with fishing gear that is prohibited to fish for that fish
Species: snow crab and lobster
Penalties, Forfeitures, Prohibitions or Orders: Three fines of $500 with 12 months to pay
Date of conviction: Nov. 15, 2016
Name: Robert Pittman, Trout River
Charge descriptions Section 33 Fisheries Act - Possess Atlantic codfish caught in contravention to the Fisheries Act from a vessel that has been caught in accordance with the Act and the regulations and Section 36(2)(b) Fishery General Regulations - Possess fish where the number of fish could not be readily determined
Species: lobster
Penalties, Forfeitures, Prohibitions or Orders: Two fines of $500 with four months to pay
Date of conviction: Nov. 15, 2016
Name: Forward Bennett, St. Paul’s Inlet
Charge descriptions Section (7) Fishery General Regulations - Fail to tag Atlantic Halibut caught and retained under the authority of a groundfish licence, Section 22(7) Fishery General Regulations - Continued to fish for Atlantic Halibut after reaching seasonal harvesting cap and Section 22(7) Fishery General Regulations -
Fail to provide an accurate trip summary of fishing activity to the Fish Harvesters Resource Center
Species: Atlantic halibut
Penalties, Forfeitures, Prohibitions or Orders: Two fines of $800 with four months to pay and a $400 fine with four months to pay
Date of conviction: Nov. 15, 2016
Name: Wayne Parrott, St. Bernard’s
Charge descriptions Section 91(3)(a) – Atlantic Fishery Regulations - Catch and retain more fish than the daily quota
Species: recreational groundfish
Penalties, Forfeitures, Prohibitions or Orders: $500 fine
Date of conviction: Nov. 2, 2016
Name: Brian Sainsbury, Newtown
Charge descriptions: Section 63(3) Fisheries Act Produce logbook that contained misleading information and Section 22(7) Fishery General Regulations - Exceeding amount of fish landed in one day
Species: capelin
Penalties, Forfeitures, Prohibitions or Orders: $750 and $650 fine
Date of conviction: Nov. 1, 2016
Name: Gerry King, Badger’s Quay
Charge descriptions: Section 63(3) Fisheries Act - Produce logbook that contained misleading information and Section 22(7) Fishery General Regulations - Exceeding amount of fish landed in one day
Species: capelin
Penalties, Forfeitures, Prohibitions or Orders: Two $750.00 fines and $440.00 clawback for captain’s share of excess catch
Date of conviction: Nov. 1, 2016
Name: Patrick Kelly, St. Brendan’s
Charge descriptions: Section 22(7) Fishery General Regulations - Possession of Lobster less than 82.5mm
Species: lobster
Penalties, Forfeitures, Prohibitions or Orders: $750 fine with six months to pay
Date of conviction: Nov. 1, 2016
Name: Glen Meadus, Centerville, NL
Charge descriptions: Section 91(3) Atlantic Fishery Regulations - Exceeded daily limit of cod
Species: Recreational Groundfish Fishery
Penalties, Forfeitures, Prohibitions or Orders: $500 fine with three months to pay
Prohibited from engaging in the 2017 Recreational Groundfish Fishery up to and including August 31, 2017
Date of conviction: Nov. 1, 2016
Name: Reginald Meadus, Conception Bay South
Charge descriptions: Section 91(3) Atlantic Fishery Regulations - Exceeded daily limit of cod
Species: Recreational Groundfish Fishery
Penalties, Forfeitures, Prohibitions or Orders: $500 fine with three months to pay
Prohibited from engaging in the 2017 Recreational Groundfish Fishery up to and including August 31, 2017
Date of conviction: Nov. 1, 2016
Name: Ronald Miller, Newtown
Charge descriptions: Section 22(7) Fishery General Regulations - Fishing in a closed area (Conservation Exclusion Zone)
Species: snow crab
Penalties, Forfeitures, Prohibitions or Orders: Fined $1000.00 with two months to pay
Date of conviction: Oct. 26, 2016
Name: Carl Stokes, Cape Freels
Charge descriptions Section 22(7) Fishery General Regulations - Failed to set Herring gill net at least one fathom below the surface of the water
Species: herring bait
Penalties, Forfeitures, Prohibitions or Orders: $750 fine and forfeiture of one Atlantic salmon
Date of conviction: Oct. 3, 2016
Name: George Keeping, Grand Bank
Charge descriptions: Section 33(2) Fishery General Regulations - Unlawfully fail to release incidental catch to wit Northern Stone crab
Species: herring bait
Penalties, Forfeitures, Prohibitions or Orders: $500 fine with 12 months to pay and forfeiture of 50lbs Northern Stone Crab
Date of conviction: Oct. 3, 2016
Name: Chris Pope, Grand Bank
Charge descriptions: Section 33 Fisheries Act - Possession of Atlantic Halibut
Species: cod
Penalties, Forfeitures, Prohibitions or Orders: $500 fine with 12 months to pay and forfeiture of 8lbs Halibut
Date of conviction: Oct. 3, 2016
Name: Charles Dominaux, Bay L’argent
Charge descriptions: Section 77 Atlantic Fishing Regulations - Netting Coastal Salmon and Section 33 Fisheries Act - Possession of Salmon caught in contravention
Species: N/A
Penalties, Forfeitures, Prohibitions or Orders: 21 days days’incarceration
Date of conviction: Sept. 21, 2016
Name: George Atkins, Port Saunders
Charge descriptions: Section 62 Fisheries Act - Obstruction of a Fishery Officer
Species: recreational groundfish fishery
Penalties, Forfeitures, Prohibitions or Orders: $750 fine, forfeiture of fish and seized items and one year prohibition from recreational groundfish fishery
Date of conviction: Sept. 13, 2016
Name: Garwin White, Trout River
Charge descriptions: Section 27(1)(a) Fishery General Regulations - Unlawfully leave unattended fishing gear that failed to have a vessel registration number that is set out in the licence authorizing the use of that gear, Section 62(1) Atlantic Fishing Regulations - Unlawfully fish for lobster using lobster traps not having a valid tag issued by the Minister attached to the frame of the trap in the manner for which the tag was designed and readily visible when the trap is not in the water, Section 22(7) Fishery General Regulations - Unlawfully fail to comply with a condition of that licence, to wit: while fishing for herring, exceeded the maximum gillnet mesh size of 67 mm (2 5/8 inches), Section 22(7) Fishery General Regulations - Unlawfully fail to comply with a condition of that licence, to wit: while fishing for herring, failed to have the head ropes of the gillnet set at least one fathom below the surface of the water, Section 22(7) Fishery General Regulations - Unlawfully fail to comply with a condition of that licence, to wit: while fishing for herring, failed to have the gillnet set parallel to the shore, Section 22(7) Fishery General Regulations - Unlawfully fail to comply with a condition of that licence, to wit: while fishing for herring, failed to have the gillnet set greater than 120 feet (20 fathoms) of the shoreline at the low water spring tide mark, Section 27(1)(a) Fishery General Regulations - Unlawfully leave unattended fishing gear that failed to have a vessel registration number that is set out in the licence authorizing the use of that gear and Section 11 Fishery General Regulations -
While operating under the authority of a Lobster and Bait licence, failed to carry a licence while engaged in any activity to which it relates.
Species: lobster, herring, bait and lobster and bait
Penalties, Forfeitures, Prohibitions or Orders: $3,000 in fines with 12 months to pay and 14 day prohibition from participating in the 2017 lobster fishery
Date of conviction: Sept. 6, 2016
Name: Darryl Feltham, Glovertown
Charge descriptions: Section 22(7) Fishery General Regulations - Failure to submit logs
Species: capelin and snow crab
Penalties, Forfeitures, Prohibitions or Orders: $750 fine
Date of conviction: Aug. 9, 2016
Name: William Hann, Trout River
Charge descriptions: Section.91(1) Atlantic Fishing Regulations - Fish for Atlantic cod during closed time
Species: recreational groundfish
Penalties, Forfeitures, Prohibitions or Orders: $500 fine and six months prohibition from recreational fishing (April 01, 2017- September 30th, 2017)
Rod and reel forfeited (estimated value of $75)
Date of conviction: Aug. 8, 2016