On June 28, the numbered company 1269039 BC Ltd.—which owns the Canadian commercial fishing vessel, Ocean Provider—was sentenced in Port Alberni Provincial Court. The company pleaded guilty to fishing for albacore tuna between July 22-Aug. 15, 2022, without the authority of a valid licence, contrary to the Pacific Fishery Regulations, 1993. This is a serious violation of the Fisheries … Read more
Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard Diane Lebouthillier (Gaspésie-Îles-de-la-Madeleine, Que.) announced over $643,900 in funding to Indigenous groups, industry, and academia for three seal science projects in eastern Canada and one sea lion project in western Canada. The projects will examine seal and sea lion diets, abundance, and distribution to help us better … Read more
Fisheries and Oceans Canada issued a statement: “Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) is committed to a renewed relationship with Indigenous peoples based on recognizing rights, respect, collaboration, and partnership. As part of that commitment, we are working with First Nations harvesters so that they can exercise their Supreme Court-affirmed Treaty right to fish through various … Read more
Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard Diane Lebouthillier (Gaspésie-Îles-de-la-Madeleine, Que.) announced that a new commercial fishery for whelk will be introduced next year in the waters off Eastern Cape Breton. Fisheries and Oceans Canada has determined a commercial whelk fishery in that area would be both economically and biologically sustainable. The full release … Read more
Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard Mike Kelloway (Cape Breton-Canso, N.S.) announced that four new 44-foot vessels will be built to replace four aging regional small vessels that will no longer be operational. They will be built by Samson Enterprises Ltd., who were awarded the $5.4 million contract through … Read more
On June 19, 2023, the Honourable Judge D. Patterson sentenced Curtis Ireland to pay a fine of $10,000 for violating the Marine Mammal Regulations. Ireland, the owner of West Coast Renegade Fishing Charters, had previously pleaded guilty in fall 2022 to disturbing seals by feeding them on July 8 and Aug, 12, 2020, at the Cow Bay Marina … Read more
Canadian fishery officers are leading their first mission in the Indo-Pacific, a region Canada has committed to protect through the Indo-Pacific Strategy. Officers will conduct patrols, including high seas boardings and inspection operations, to ensure compliance with regulations and to detect illegal and unreported catch. Officers will also collect scientific data to inform our understanding of … Read more
During a sentencing hearing on May 26, 2023, in Prince Rupert Provincial Court, three recreational fishers from Alberta were ordered to each pay a fine of $10,000, for a total amount of $30,000, and are prohibited from fishing for two years. This follows a guilty judgement handed down on October 17, 2022, for Giorri Anufriev, … Read more
The Cree Nation Government and Fisheries and Oceans Canada announced the signing of a Conservation Agreement pursuant to section 11 of the Species at Risk Act (SARA). After several months of close collaboration and constructive discussions, the parties have successfully negotiated this agreement for the conservation of Lake Sturgeon (southern Hudson Bay – James Bay populations), a … Read more
Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard Joyce Murray (Vancouver Quadra, B.C.) announced that in preparation for a pending commercial fishery, the 2023 experimental fishery for Unit 1 Redfish will be increased from 2500t to 5000t. The experimental fishery, which has been in place since 2018, provides important data on Redfish stocks and … Read more
