05-12-2004, 04:02 AM
ILLEGAL FISHING ACTIVITY LEADS TO FINE FOR SALMON HARVESTER
VANCOUVER - A Vancouver resident has been convicted and fined $2,500 for charges relating to commercially fishing in a closed area near Carmanah Point, and for failing to report his commercial catch during the Nitinat commercial chum salmon fishery.
On October 14, 2003, fishery officers responded to a report that a vessel had been observed fishing with a gillnet in a closed area near Carmanah Point, on the south-western coast of Vancouver Island. Trung Huu Nguyen was observed by fishery officers aboard his commercial salmon vessel, Gannet V, with a gillnet in the water. His vessel was positioned approximately 1.8 nautical miles outside the commercial fishing boundary.
Fishery officers boarded the vessel and ordered Mr. Nguyen to retrieve his net from the water. The 126 chum salmon in the net were seized. A subsequent inspection of his salmon log book revealed that Mr. Nguyen had been participating in the Nitinat commercial chum salmon fishery for the previous two weeks, yet had failed to report his catch to the DFO-contracted service provider, as required by the conditions of his commercial salmon licence.
Recently, in Vancouver provincial court, Mr. Nguyen pled guilty to setting his gillnet in a closed area. He was fined $1,000 and the proceeds from the sale of the seized chum salmon ($225) was ordered forfeited to the Crown. Mr. Nguyen also pled guilty to failing to report his catch on three different occasions during the two week period in early October and was fined an additional $1,500. This was Mr. Nguyen's first conviction.
Fisheries and Oceans Canada is very concerned with unauthorized activity and asks for assistance from the general public for information on activities of this nature or any contravention of the Fisheries Act and Regulations. Please call the 24-hour, toll-free Observe, Record, and Report line at 1-800-465-4336.
-30-
Contact:
Michelle Imbeau
Communications Officer
Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Pacific Region
(604) 666-2872
[signature]
VANCOUVER - A Vancouver resident has been convicted and fined $2,500 for charges relating to commercially fishing in a closed area near Carmanah Point, and for failing to report his commercial catch during the Nitinat commercial chum salmon fishery.
On October 14, 2003, fishery officers responded to a report that a vessel had been observed fishing with a gillnet in a closed area near Carmanah Point, on the south-western coast of Vancouver Island. Trung Huu Nguyen was observed by fishery officers aboard his commercial salmon vessel, Gannet V, with a gillnet in the water. His vessel was positioned approximately 1.8 nautical miles outside the commercial fishing boundary.
Fishery officers boarded the vessel and ordered Mr. Nguyen to retrieve his net from the water. The 126 chum salmon in the net were seized. A subsequent inspection of his salmon log book revealed that Mr. Nguyen had been participating in the Nitinat commercial chum salmon fishery for the previous two weeks, yet had failed to report his catch to the DFO-contracted service provider, as required by the conditions of his commercial salmon licence.
Recently, in Vancouver provincial court, Mr. Nguyen pled guilty to setting his gillnet in a closed area. He was fined $1,000 and the proceeds from the sale of the seized chum salmon ($225) was ordered forfeited to the Crown. Mr. Nguyen also pled guilty to failing to report his catch on three different occasions during the two week period in early October and was fined an additional $1,500. This was Mr. Nguyen's first conviction.
Fisheries and Oceans Canada is very concerned with unauthorized activity and asks for assistance from the general public for information on activities of this nature or any contravention of the Fisheries Act and Regulations. Please call the 24-hour, toll-free Observe, Record, and Report line at 1-800-465-4336.
-30-
Contact:
Michelle Imbeau
Communications Officer
Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Pacific Region
(604) 666-2872
[signature]