According to a report four individuals were recently convicted of fishery violations totaling $7,500 as a result of investigations conducted by fisheries officers from the Fisheries and Oceans Canada detachment in Twillingate. It is said that on September 10, 2009, Howard Lawrence Parsons of Lumsden was convicted of failure to remove his nets from the water prior to the close of the fishery and was fined $3,500. On June 28, 2008 fishery officers observed the vessel Challenger 2000 fishing Greenland halibut after the season had closed.
In another case Leo McGrath of Fogo Island was fined $1,000 on September 9, 2009 for fishing Greenland halibut during a closed time and his catch, valued at $2,400, was forfeited by the court. On June 26, 2008, fishery officers boarded the vessel Future Endeavour and observed the violation.
Robbie Randell of Gander was fined $500 on June 30, 2009 for fishing cod in an unauthorized vessel. On September 26, 2008 fishery officers determined, through dockside monitoring reports that Randell was fishing from a vessel that was not authorized in his cod fishing licence.
On August 25, 2009, Kenneth Ford of Fogo was fined $100 for fishing from a vessel not identified in his licence. The violation was detected on September 25 and 26, 2008 by fishery officers following a review of dockside monitoring reports. The authorities have talens strict measures to ensure conservation to protect and rebuild fish stocks so that these sustainable fishing resources can be enjoyed by communities throughout Newfoundland and Labrador for generations to come.
