B.C. man gets $250K in fines for illegal prawn fishing in protected area
A B.C. man has been fined $250,000 and ordered to forfeit $80,000 worth of gear after he was found guilty of 13 violations of the federal Fisheries Act.
The sentence was handed down in Sechelt provincial court on Jan. 31, but Fisheries and Oceans Canada issued a statement sharing details of the case on Friday.
According to the DFO, the penalties stem from an investigation that began in July 2020. At that time, investigators seized prawn traps from the vessel master of the commercial fishing vessel Darkstar, because they had been "illegally set in the Strait of Georgia Glass Sponge Reef Marine Refuges near Sechelt."
"This area is protected and closed to all prawn fishing due to the highly sensitive nature of this habitat," the statement reads.
Investigators seized a total of 553 commercial prawn traps and 450 pounds of live prawns, the DFO said.
While the DFO's statement does not name the vessel master, online court records show Dean Keitsch was sentenced for 13 fishing-related infractions in Sechelt provincial court on Jan. 31.
Contacted by CTV News, the DFO confirmed that Keitsch was the man it was referring to in its statement.
According to the DFO, the vessel master was also in violation of the conditions of his commercial licence between July 2 and Sept. 24, 2020.
Those violations included "hauling gear prior to 7 a.m.; failing to keep an accurate log book; failing to provide records in the required time; and having buoys that were in non-compliance with the Fisheries Act regulations," the statement reads.
Keitsch pleaded guilty to seven of the 13 counts against him. After a "long-running court case," he was found guilty of the other six in May 2023, the DFO said.
"During the sentencing hearing, a member of the shíshálh Nation read an impact statement outlining the Nation’s concerns about illegal fishing in the Glass Sponge Reef, which is a globally unique marine refuge," the statement reads.
"Additional testimony was given by DFO expert witness Dr. Anya Dunham. Dr. Dunham gave scientific evidence of the harm caused by the illegal fishing activity within this protected area."
The DFO asks anyone with information on illegal fishing activities to call its toll-free violation reporting line at 800-465-4336 or to email DFO.ORR-ONS.MPO@dfo-mpo.gc.ca.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Canadian former Olympic snowboarder wanted in Ontario double homicide: DOJ
A Canadian former Olympic snowboarder who is suspected of being the leader of a transnational drug trafficking group that operated in four countries is wanted for allegedly orchestrating the murder of an 'innocent' couple in Ontario in 2023, authorities say.
Ontario school board trustees under fire for $100K religious art purchase on Italy trip
Trustees with an Ontario school board are responding to criticism over a $45,000 trip to Italy, where they purchased more than $100,000 worth of religious statues.
A photographer snorkeled for hours to take this picture
Shane Gross, a Canadian marine conservation photojournalist, has won the title of Wildlife Photographer of the Year.
Tobacco giants would pay out $32.5 billion to provinces, smokers in proposed deal
Three tobacco giants are proposing to pay close to $25 billion to provinces and territories and more than $4 billion to some 100,000 Quebec smokers and their loved ones as part of a corporate restructuring process triggered by a long-running legal battle.
More Trudeau cabinet ministers not running for re-election, sources say shuffle expected soon
Federal cabinet ministers Filomena Tassi, Carla Qualtrough and Dan Vandal announced Thursday they will not run for re-election. Senior government sources tell CTV News at least one other, Marie-Claude Bibeau, doesn't plan to run again, setting the stage for Justin Trudeau to shuffle his cabinet in the coming weeks.
Robert Pickton's handwritten book seized after his death in hopes of uncovering new evidence
A handwritten book was seized from B.C. serial killer Robert Pickton's prison cell following his death earlier this year, raising hopes of uncovering new evidence in a series of unprosecuted murders.
Former members of One Direction say they're 'completely devastated' by Liam Payne's death
The former members of English boy band One Direction reacted publicly to the sudden death of their bandmate, Liam Payne, for the first time on Thursday, saying in a joint statement that they're 'completely devastated.'
Israel says it has killed top Hamas leader Yayha Sinwar in Gaza
Israeli forces in Gaza killed top Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar, a chief architect of last year's attack on Israel that sparked the war, the military said Thursday. Troops appeared to have run across him unknowingly in a battle, only to discover afterwards that a body in the rubble was Israel's most wanted man.
Indian government employee charged in foiled murder-for-hire plot in New York City
The U.S. Justice Department announced criminal charges Thursday against an Indian government employee in connection with a foiled plot to kill a Sikh separatist leader living in New York City.