Arctic Aerial Surveillance leads to significant penalties of $35,000 for Captain of a Nunavut Fishing Vessel

IQALUIT, NU         , May 16, 2022                        /CNW/ - On Friday April 22, 2022 the Nunavut Court of Justice sentenced George Hudson who pleaded guilty to violations under the Fisheries Act.  The Honourable Justice Bonnie Tulloch ordered that the fishing vessel captain pay $35,000 within 6 months. 

An investigation was triggered when fishery officers from Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) detected the Canadian fishing vessel Suvak fishing outside of Canadian fisheries waters during a routine aerial surveillance patrol in October 2012.  The investigation determined that the violation occurred in the waters of Greenland's Exclusive Economic Zone.  Canada is committed to finding and addressing issues of illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing by the Canadian fishing fleet whether within or outside of Canadian fisheries waters.

Fisheries and Oceans Canada has a mandate to protect and conserve marine resources and to prosecute offenders under the Fisheries Act. DFO ensures and promotes compliance with the Act and other laws and regulations through a combination of air, land, and sea patrols, as well as education and awareness activities.

• As part of Fisheries and Oceans Canada's work to end illegal activity, the Department asks the 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 violation reporting line at 1-800-465-4336, or email the details to [email protected].

• These significant penalties and fishing prohibition underscore the potential consequences for commercial harvesters who fail to comply with Canada's Fisheries Act.

• News Release (Inuktitut)

• Fisheries Act

• Follow Fisheries and Oceans Canada on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.
• Follow the Canadian Coast Guard on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.

SOURCE Fisheries and Oceans Canada Ontario & Prairie Region