Inland Fisheries Enforcement Program Investigations Lead to More Convictions

Justice
October 16, 2007

Inland Fisheries Enforcement Program Investigations Lead to More Convictions

Several convictions have been filed recently in provincial court in relation to investigations carried out by the Inland Fisheries Enforcement Program (IFEP), part of the Department of Justice. The convictions, with fines totaling $15,700, resulted from charges laid against individuals earlier this summer under the Federal Fisheries Act and Wildlife Regulations.

Convictions include:

On October 3, 2007, Terry Peckford of Point au Bay was convicted of failing to release incidental catch, illegal possession of Atlantic salmon and the illegal setting of a bait net. Mr. Peckford received fines totaling $2,500.

On September 25, 2007, Robert Freake of Grand Falls-Windsor was convicted and received a $500 fine for possession of untagged salmon. Mr. Freake received a one-year prohibition from fishing. A salmon and fly rod were forfeited to the Crown. Also on September 25, John Bradbury of Grand Falls-Windsor was convicted and received a $400 fine for altering his inland fishery salmon licence/tags.

On September 18, 2007, Dennis Rowe and Leslie Rowe, both of Sheaves Cove, were convicted in provincial court for netting salmon in coastal waters during a closed time and also for possessing untagged salmon. They each received fines of $1,650 and three salmon and an illegal net were forfeited to the Crown.

On September 17, 2007, Eric Cunard of Brig Bay was convicted and was fined $1,000 for the possession of untagged salmon. Mr. Cunard is also prohibited from holding a fishing licence for one year.

On September 13, 2007, Seymour Compton of Englee was convicted and received a $2,000 fine for illegally netting salmon during a closed time in coastal waters; he also received a $500 fine for the possession of untagged salmon. In addition, Mr. Compton is prohibited from holding any type of fishing licence for three years and is prohibited from being on coastal waters for a three-year period.

On September 5, 2007, Wilfred Young of Grey River was convicted of illegally netting inland waters and received a fine of $2,500. An illegal net was forfeited to the Crown.

While the mandate of the IFEP is the protection of trout and salmon stocks, officers often encounter other infractions while on patrol or carrying out investigations. As a result of an investigation near Canning�s Cove on June 28, 2007, officers laid several charges under the Federal Fisheries Act/Regulations against Glenn and Barbara Penney. On September 19, 2007, Glenn Penney was convicted and received a fine totaling $2,000 for fishing for cod during a closed time, as well as for the illegal possession of cod. Also, on September 19, Barbara Penney was convicted of the same offences and fined $1,000. As part of the sentencing, neither of the individuals is allowed to participate in any inland or coastal recreational fishery for two years. As well, a 19-foot boat, 55-hp outboard motor, 54 cod fillets and various fishing related equipment were forfeited to the Crown.

The program continues to build on the success of previous campaigns and this year IFEP officers have dealt with 432 fishing-related offences and have laid 317 charges against 112 individuals. IFEP officers have seized 34 illegal nets, 151 Atlantic salmon, 15 boats, five vehicles and five all-terrain vehicles (ATVs).

In addition, officers have dealt with over 258 ATV-related offences and have laid a total of 111 charges to date.

The IFEP team dealt with over 760 violations during the 2007 program.

The public is reminded they can anonymously report suspected poaching of salmon or trout to either Crime Stoppers (1-800-222-8477) or the IFEP Headquarters (709-637-2971).

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Media contact:
Deborah Pennell
Director of Communications
Department of Justice
709-729-6985, 685-6612
deborahpennell@gov.nl.ca

2007 10 16 10:30 a.m.

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