Convictions Under the Fisheries Act, Gaspé

QUÉBEC - Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Quebec Region, has released a list of fishers from the Gaspé fined in June 2012 for various offences under the Fisheries Act.

The fines imposed on the offenders total $159,776. In addition, nets were confiscated, fish were seized and three fishing licences were revoked in one case while a five-day fishing suspension was issued in the other. The offenders are:

Convictions under the Fisheries Act, Gaspé
Description First column: Offenders and their area of residence. Second column: Offence committed by offenders. Third column: Fine imposed on offenders.
Offender Offence Fine
O’Neil Bond
(Rivière-au-Renard)		 Possession of fish processed to the point where it is difficult to determine their numbers. $3,000
Frédérique Cloutier
(Gaspé)		 Possession of lobster under the permitted size. Being in possession of a female lobster with eggs attached. $2,500
Bertrand Desbois
(Sainte-Thérèse-de-Gaspé)		 Aiding or abetting individuals to make a false statement. Fishing Greenland halibut without authorization. Fishing for Greenland halibut using nets with a mesh size under 152 mm. Use of nets without valid tags for Greenland halibut fishing. $147,276 + confiscation of nets and seized fish, as well as revocation of three fishing licences.
Rosaire Ross
(Matane) 		False statement. Use of nets without valid tags for Greenland halibut fishing. $6,000
Jean-François Samuel
(Petit-Cap)		 Fishing lobster during a closed time. Having lobster traps on board a vessel in a closed area. $1,000 + five-day suspension.

Fisheries and Oceans Canada has a mandate to protect and conserve marine resources and prosecute offenders under the Fisheries Act. To report a poacher, dial 1-800-463-9057. All calls are anonymous and confidential.

-30-

Follow us on Twitter!

For more information:

Martin Bourget
Communications Advisor
Fisheries and Oceans Canada
Québec, Quebec
418-648-7893

NR-QR-12-29E