According to DFO five Gulf Nova Scotia area fish harvesters have been sentenced fines for violating the fisheries regulations. Nicholas Vink and Bernard Carpenter of Havre-Boucher, Nova Scotia, both pleaded guilty in Antigonish Provincial Court on October
19, 2009, to violating Sections 59(3) and 62(1) of the Atlantic Fishery Regulations of 1985, and section 22(7) of the Fishery (General) Regulations during the 2008 lobster fishing season in Lobster Fishing Area (LFA) 26A.
It is told that the tip received by fishery officers of the Pictou Detachment was key in intercepting the illegal lobsters in their possession. Provincial Court Judge Embree imposed a $5,010 fine to Vink for fishing lobsters with unlicenced traps and traps having undersized escape mechanisms. He is also prohibited from fishing the first two days of the 2010 lobster fishery in LFA 26A. Carpenter received a $1,510 fine for his possession of three egg-berried female lobsters.
It is explained that Stephen Webb of Havre-Boucher, Nova Scotia, pleaded guilty in Antigonish Provincial Court on October 19, 2009, to fishing with lobster traps with escape mechanisms smaller than the regulation size of 41 mm, which is contrary to section 22(7) of the Fisheries (General) Regulations. Provincial Court Judge Embree imposed a $2,010 fine to Webb. Fishery officers from the Pictou Detachment carried out a lobster gear inspection on June 4, 2009 in the area of Bayfield, Tracadie, and Havre-Boucher when they discovered a number of lobster traps with small escape mechanisms belonging to Webb.
