Three banned from fishing, holding licences in Canada after overfishing violations

NOOTKA, B.C. — Three people have been banned from fishing or holding a fishing licence anywhere in Canada after pleading guilty to overfishing on Vancouver Island in 2019.

Nootka Sound RCMP investigated the trio in September of that year after reports the three were overfishing in the Gold River area.

When police found the individuals, only one of the three had a valid fishing licence and the group had dozens of fish, including salmon, which were not properly recorded.

Mounties seized the group’s 30-foot fishing vessel and all equipment on board at the time, along with Chinook salmon, rock fish filets and ling cod filets.

The three appeared in Provincial Court in Campbell River, B.C., this past February and pleaded guilty to violating the Fisheries Act.

Greg Askey, a fishery officer and field supervisor with the Campbell River Fisheries Department Detachment, says in a statement that this was the most significant sport fish violation he’s seen in more than 20 Years.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 11, 2021.

The Canadian Press