The skipper of a commercial vessel fishing for halibut near Bella Bella in British Columbia has been handed a hefty fine for operating fishing vessel Gypsy Soul in a Glass Sponge Reef MPA.
The judge of a court in Vancouver imposed a $33,596 fine on Brent Belveal, owner and operator of Gypsy Soul, a total of $33,596 for offences under Canada’s Fisheries Act.
Brent Belveal pleaded guilty to fishing inside of the Hecate Strait Queen Charlotte Sound Glass Sponge Reef MPA, and for selling his illegal catch.
An impact statement submitted to the Provincial Court by a Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) subject matter expert outlined the unique nature of the sponge reefs and the potential harms done by illegal fishing within the MPA.
The slow growth, fragility and highly sensitive nature and structure of these sponges make the reefs particularly vulnerable to damage and disturbance, since recovery may take tens to several hundreds of years.
Glass sponge reefs are approximately 9000 years old, and are considered to be the largest living example of such reefs that were abundant millions of years ago
