Recreational Harvesters Fined $6,500 for Fishing Near Whytecliffe Park

NORTH VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA--(Marketwired - Jan. 5, 2017) - Andrew Yip and Yu Ye were fined a total of $6,500 for fishing in a West Vancouver Marine Park closed year-round to all harvesting of marine life to preserve its unique underwater habitat. On December 15, 2016, the Honourable Judge Douglas E. Moss accepted a guilty plea from both men. He fined Mr. Ye $3,000, ordered Mr. Yip to pay a fine of $3,500 and banned him from fishing for a year and upheld the forfeiture of his fishing gear. The pair were observed angling next to a multi-lingual no fishing sign.

Quick Facts

• The violations of the Fisheries Act occurred August 24, 2016
• Fishery officers on patrol in the area were alerted to the illegal activity by a member of the public
• The two men, an uncle and his nephew, were observed angling from the rocks in Whytecliffe Park in close proximity to a clearly visible multi-lingual no fishing sign
• The men were found in possession of four rockfish
• The whole lower mainland of Vancouver is closed to rockfish harvesting

The Government of Canada is committed to safeguarding the long-term health and productivity of Canada's fisheries resources, and the habitat that supports them, for generations to come. Fisheries and Oceans Canada has a mandate to protect and conserve marine resources and to prosecute offenders under the Fisheries Act. It ensures and promotes compliance with the Act and other laws and regulations through a combination of land, air, and sea patrols, as well as education and awareness activities. As part of Fisheries and Oceans Canada's work to end illegal activity, the Department asks the public for information on activities of this nature or any contravention of the Fisheries Act and regulations. Anyone with information can call the toll-free violation reporting line at 1-800-465-4336.

Associated Links

• Sedentary, with slow growth rates, rockfish can live to well over 100 years and many will not reproduce until aged 10 to 15 years. Rockfish cannot adjust to sudden changes in barometric pressure and rarely survive being caught and released. As a conservation measure, Fisheries and Oceans Canada has established 164 Rockfish Conservation Areas along the B.C. coast where fishing for rockfish is prohibited, many of which are located in the Strait of Georgia - http://www.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/fm-gp/maps-cartes/rca-acs/index-eng.html
• For more on Area 28 closures: http://www.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/fm-gp/rec/tidal-maree/a-s28-eng.html

Internet: http://www.dfo-mpo.gc.ca

Follow us on Twitter! www.Twitter.com/DFO_MPO