Information about COVID-19 at Pacific Institution

Commercial halibut vessel master fined $33,596 for fishing illegally in a Glass Sponge Reef Marine Protected Area near Bella Bella, B.C.

August 8, 2024 at 10:16 am  Federal, Politics

August 8, 2024

Vancouver, B.C, – On May 24, 2024, the Honourable Judge Roy Dickey fined Brent Belveal, owner and operator of the commercial Halibut fishing vessel Gypsy Soul, a total of $33,596 for offences under Canada’s Fisheries Act. Mr. Belveal pleaded guilty to fishing inside of the Hecate Strait Queen Charlotte Sound Glass Sponge Reef Marine Protected Area (MPA) near Bella Bella, B.C., and for selling his illegal catch.

An impact statement submitted to the Provincial Court by a Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) subject matter expert outlined the unique nature of the sponge reefs and the potential harms done by illegal fishing within the MPA. The glass sponge reefs are approximately 9,000 years old, and are considered to be the largest living example of glass sponge reefs that were abundant millions of years ago. The slow growth, fragility and highly sensitive nature and structure of these sponges make the reefs particularly vulnerable to damage and disturbance, since recovery may take tens to several hundreds of years. Harvesters who disregard fishery closures under the Fisheries Act and the Oceans Act MPA regulations pose a risk of causing new damage to the reefs, and undermine decades of work to provide protection to these globally unique ecosystems.

DFO has a mandate to protect and conserve marine resources and to enforce the Fisheries Act. As part of DFO’s work to disrupt and prevent 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 DFO Pacific Region’s toll-free violation reporting line at 1-800-465-4336, or email the details to [email protected].

View the full article from the original source

No conversations yet

Activity Stream

Thu, Jul 3, 2025 at 8:00 am - David Suzuki posted on their blog: The burning issue of fossil-fuelled Scope 3 emissions
Thu, Jun 26, 2025 at 8:00 am - David Suzuki posted on their blog: Like it or not, we can’t live without insects
Tue, Jun 24, 2025 at 3:11 pm - Darryl Schmidt posted a comment on Are Union Construction Sites Safer? Where’s the Proof?
Tue, Jun 24, 2025 at 3:08 pm - Darryl Schmidt posted on their blog: Are Union Construction Sites Safer? Where’s the Proof?
Thu, Jun 19, 2025 at 8:00 am - David Suzuki posted on their blog: End times or turning point? It’s our choice
Mon, Jun 16, 2025 at 2:49 pm - Kamloops Film Society posted on their blog: Echoes of the Homesick Heart – On Screen – The Kamloops Film Society
Thu, Jun 12, 2025 at 8:00 am - David Suzuki posted on their blog: Economic denial slows crucial climate progress
Thu, Jun 5, 2025 at 8:00 am - David Suzuki posted on their blog: A climate-safe future demands the defeat of ignorance
Fri, May 30, 2025 at 8:03 pm - Kamloops Film Society posted on their blog: The Lord of the Rings – The Kamloops Film Society
Thu, May 29, 2025 at 8:00 am - David Suzuki posted on their blog: Put away pipelines, go with grids!
Full Stream