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.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
NDP calls out Conservatives for effort to squash pharmacare legislation
The federal New Democrats are calling out Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre and his party for trying to block the bill that could pave the way for millions of Canadians to access birth control and diabetes coverage.
Stamp prices rise for the third time in five years amid financial woes for Canada Post
Canada Post is increasing stamp prices for the third time since 2019, a move the Crown corporation says is a "reality" of its sales-based revenue structure.
Winnipeg man admits to killing four women, argues he's not criminally responsible
Defence lawyers of Jeremy Skibicki have admitted in court the accused killed four Indigenous women, but argues he is not criminally responsible for the deaths by way of mental disorder – this latest development has triggered a judge-alone trial rather than a jury trial.
An El Nino-less summer is coming. Here's what that could mean for Canada
As Canadians brace themselves for summer temperatures, forecasters say a weakening El Nino cycle doesn’t mean relief from the heat.
Mediterranean staple may lower your risk of death from dementia, study finds
A daily spoonful of olive oil could lower your risk of dying from dementia, according to a new study by Harvard scientists.
A subset of Alzheimer's cases may be caused by two copies of a single gene, new research shows
For the first time, researchers have identified a genetic form of late-in-life Alzheimer’s disease — in people who inherit two copies of a worrisome gene.
B.C. court date set for 3 accused of murdering Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar
Three suspects accused of murdering British Columbia Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar last year are scheduled to appear in court in Surrey on Tuesday.
Ontario MPP asked again to leave Ontario legislature over keffiyeh, Speaker loosens ban
An Ontario MPP was asked again to leave the Ontario legislature on Monday for wearing a keffiyeh, a garment that was banned by the Speaker last month due to its political symbolism.
WATCH Avian flu: Risk to humans grows as outbreaks spread, warns expert
H5N1 or avian flu is decimating wildlife around the world and is now spreading among cattle in the United States, sparking concerns about 'pandemic potential' for humans. Now a health expert is urging Canada to scale up surveillance north of the border.