It was Wednesday 16 January when the Shelburne provincial court found Joey Oickle guilty for his role in issuing fake lobster licence to a fellow fisherman. It was unheard previously that any fish violation has happened in the county and that any N.S. fishermen have paid fines totaling $17,000.
Fisheries and Oceans has started investigation in April 2007 and discovered that Oickle has created a forged LFA 33 lobster licence with the help of computer and leased it to a local fisherman for $5,000. He even charged commission from other fishermen 20 percent of the total worth of their catch.
After a routine check of a lobster licence Shelburne DFO officers has surfaced the fraud. Later, Oickle’s residence was searched by 10 officers where they seized several documents and a computer. Oickle was slapped fraud charge under section 380(1) of the Criminal Code, using fake licence charge under section 13(1)(c) and also charged with fishing without a personal fisher’s registration 14(1)(a) of the Atlantic Fishery Regulations.
Oickle was sentenced to pay fines of $8,150 and also to pay back $8,850 in proceeds from his crime.
