Four recreational anglers were fined a total of $17,000 for violating the Fisheries Act near Galiano Island.
Fishery officers on a routine patrol on May 8 encountered the 22-foot aluminum fishing vessel that had seven people on board fishing for bottom fish, a statement from Fisheries and Oceans Canada said.
At the time, the anglers said that there were no fish on board other than those in a fish tote on deck, but a more thorough inspection by officers revealed additional rockfish hidden on the vessel, including three Yelloweye rockfish, the statement said.
Lam Pean Kwok was fined $2,000 for making false or misleading statements to a fishery officer, while Bui Choy, Suk Ching Friennie Lam and Jimmy Tuan-Nhi Luong were each fined $5,000 for over-possession of rockfish and obstruction of DFO officers.
All four pleaded guilty to numerous violations of the Fisheries Act in provincial court in Victoria and had their seized fishing gear forfeited.
It is illegal to retain Yelloweye rockfish, a species considered to be “of special concern” under the the Species at Risk Act. Yelloweye rockfish are known for their vibrant orange-red colours and their namesake yellow eyes.
While fishery quotas have been substantially reduced from the early 1990s, fishing is considered the biggest threat to Yelloweye rockfish, a sedentary slow-maturing fish that can live up to 120 years. Female Yelloweye rockfish tend to reproduce only when they reach over 30 years of age.
Last December, three men overfishing on the Sunshine Coast near Lund were found guilty of significant violations of rockfish and lingcod fishing regulations and received fines totalling $17,500.
A study led by Natalie Ban, a professor of environmental studies at the University of Victoria, found that suspected poaching incidents in rockfish conservation areas around Galiano Island have increased since the pandemic, reversing a four-year pattern of declining poaching habits.
The DFO is asking anyone with information on suspicious fishing activity or habitat violations to call 1-800-465-4336, or email [email protected].
