In mid-September, Oceans and Fisheries Canada (DFO) revealed that the owner of the Canadian commercial fishing vessel Ocean Provider was sentenced to a fine and seizure in Port Alberni Provincial Court stemming from violations in British Columbia waters.
The company pleaded guilty to fishing for albacore tuna in 2022 from July 22 to Aug. 15 without a valid license, contrary to Canadian Pacific Fishery Regulations.
“This is a serious violation of the Fisheries Act and Canada’s international fisheries obligations,” DFO said in a statement.
The court fined the vessel owners $6,000 Canadian and upheld the seizure of 2,250 tuna, totaling 31,956 lbs., valued at $127,824. The sum was forfeited.
The DFO investigation resulted from routine fisheries inspections of Canada/U.S. fishing fleets conducted by fishery officers on board the vessel CCGS Tanu. Officers boarded Ocean Provider at sea, 42 nautical miles offshore of Barkley Sound on the West Coast of Vancouver Island, near Bamfield, B.C.
“The crew were actively fishing, and officers determined that the vessel was not licensed to fish for tuna at that time,” DFO explained. The vessel was escorted to port by the fishery officers where the catch was offloaded for processing and seizure.”
The owner of the vessel is numbered company 1269039 BC Ltd. The fine was issued in late June, according to DFO.
Oceans and Fisheries Canada has asked anyone with information on illegal fishing activity to call its Pacific region toll-free violation reporting line at 1-800-465-4336, or email details to DFO.ORR-ONS.MPO@dfo-mpo.gc.ca.