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VANCOUVER RESIDENT CONVICTED OF ILLEGAL PRAWN FISHING ACTIVITYFisheries and Oceans Canada - News Release December 14, 2004 Prince Rupert, B.C.– Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) announced today that a Vancouver resident has been fined for failing to comply with the conditions of a commercial prawn licence and for unlawfully possessing fish that had been caught in contravention of the Fisheries Act. On the afternoon of May 14, 2003, fishery officers were monitoring compliance in the commercial prawn fishery in the area of Grenville Channel in northern B.C., specifically to see if harvests were following the regulation that requires prawn fishers to haul their gear only once in a 12 hour period. The fishery officers located some fishing gear and conducted surveillance to monitor its use. During the course of the operation, the vessel Four Seasons operated by Son Tan Nguyen was found to have hauled the same gear more than once within a 12 hour period. Recently, in Prince Rupert provincial court, Mr. Nguyen was found guilty and fined a total of $7,500. As a condition under the commercial prawn licence, fishers are permitted to fish between the hours of 07:00 and 19:00 during the season and are permitted to haul their gear only once during this period. The single hauling of gear is a management measure, agreed to by the prawn industry, to reduce fishing mortality of undersized prawns. Hauling gear more than once during this period is contrary to prawn licence conditions and provides an unfair advantage over other prawn fishers within the same coastal area. Fisheries and Oceans Canada is extremely concerned with illegal 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. Anyone with information can call the toll-free Observe, Record, Report violation reporting line at 1-800-465-4336. For further information:
Michelle Imbeau |