A British Columbia fisherman with a history of violations behind him has been slammed with a six-year prison sentence after being found guilty earlier this year on multiple counts related to the unlawful harvest and sale of sea cucumbers between July 2019 and June 2020.
The British Columbia Supreme Court handed Scott Steer to a six-year sentence, in addition to an overall fine of $1,105,718 ($1,005,718 plus an additional $100,000 fine for the corporate offenders) for which he and his wife are jointly liable, and which is to be paid by monthly installment over twenty years. Apart from Mrs. Steer’s two phones, all items seized during the investigation are forfeited, including two vessels, two vehicles, a trailer and many items related to fishing.
Fisheries and Oceans Canada states that Scott Steer has an extensive history of fisheries violations that have resulted in numerous convictions, prohibitions, fines, and jail sentences. He had previously been prohibited by the Courts in 2016 from possessing or acquiring fishing gear, being onboard any fishing vessel, or applying for a fishing license until 2038. Despite these prohibitions, he actively orchestrated an illegal fishing operation, acquiring and outfitting vessels, recruiting crew, forging DFO records, and selling unlawfully harvested sea cucumbers.
The court found that illegal activities resulted in the sale of over 87,000 pounds (39,460kg) of sea cucumber, generating more than $1 million in revenue through fraudulent transactions with a Vancouver-based processing company. The court determined that 1215419 B.C. Ltd. was a sham corporation used to circumvent Mr. Steer’s prohibitions and court orders, and that Mrs. Steer was fully involved in the scheme.
The court case was based on evidence uncovered after Scott Steer’s arrest on 2nd March 2020 for illegal crab harvesting in Vancouver Harbour. This five-year DFO investigation exposed the use of fraudulent records and undercover financial transactions to facilitate illegal seafood sales. The investigation involved a significant number of fishery officers, intelligence analysts and other DFO staff, and as numerous civilian witnesses. It also spanned orders, to China, USA and Canada.
