CORNER BROOK, N.L. — A west coast fisherman was fined a total of $3,218.86 for having illegal herring onboard his vessel.
The decision was handed down in provincial court in Corner Brook on June 27.
The decision notes that of the 71,000 pounds of herring caught by Lee Sheppard on Oct. 26, 2017, 41 per cent were undersized. As a result, he was charged with having illegally possessed this herring in contravention of Atlantic fisheries regulations and contrary to the Fisheries Act.
Sheppard had entered guilty plea during an earlier court appearance.
The decision notes that the herring caught was landed and sold or $12,101.11, which was divided between Sheppard and the vessel’s crewmembers.
Judge Wayne Gorman concluded from the evidence presented that Sheppard’s share of the catch was $1,753.33.
“As we have seen, 41 per cent of the catch was undersized. I have used this percentage to calculate the monetary value obtained by Mr. Sheppard from his illegal fishing and thus the amount of the section 79 additional fine that should be imposed,” the judge wrote. “Based upon this percentage, the monetary value received by Mr. Sheppard, for the purpose of section 79 of the Fisheries Act, was $718.86. This is the amount of the section 79 additional fine to be imposed.
“Mr. Sheppard is fined $2,500.00 pursuant to section 78 of the Fisheries Act and an additional fine of $718.86 pursuant to section 79 of the Fisheries Act.”
