Blitz operation sees Vancouver Island fishery officers issue over 90 violation tickets

This past weekend, Vancouver Island fishery officers from across multiple jurisdictions conducted a roadside enforcement blitz which resulted in hundreds of inspections and over 90 violation tickets issued. 

Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) officers from eight detachments, plus the Victoria Whale Protection Unit and the National Fisheries Intelligence Service (NFIS), collaborated on the operation on highway feeder routes between Port Hardy and Victoria. 

Roadside checkpoints were established in all eight jurisdictions: Port Hardy, Campbell River, Gold River, Tofino, Port Alberni, Cowichan, Duncan, Nanaimo and Victoria.

The operation also involved the RCMP, the BC Conservation Service (BCCOS) and the Commercial Vehicle Safety and Enforcement (CVSE) in some communities. 

According to DFO, this enforcement blitz was planned for the first weekend after Chinook salmon conservation measures and retention prohibitions were lifted to remind recreational fishers of the rules and regulations around all fish species.

This marked the first inspection of this scope undertaken on Vancouver Island.

During the operation, officers inspected 200 personal vehicles, 18 commercial transport vehicles and 85 vessels.

The results of the blitz are as follows:

• Port Hardy/Zeballos – 28 vessels checked, 51 fishers checked, 37 violations
• Gold River – 115 fishers checked, 4 violations, officers seized 37 pieces of fish 
• Campbell River – 33 vessels checked, 85 fishers checked, 7 violations
• Comox Harbour – 17 vessels checked, 48 fishers checked, 12 violations
• Port Alberni – 42 vehicles inspected, 7 vessels checked, 20 violations
• Tofino – 22 vehicles inspected, 8 violations 
• Parksville – 18 commercial transport vehicles inspected, 1 private vehicle checked, 1 warning for processing violations
• Cowichan Road – 20 vehicles inspected, 41 fishers checked, multiple violations

After analyzing the data from the operation, DFO determined that the majority of violations were around the regulations for processing fish and for possessing undersized fish.

“This was a highly successful example of coordinated enforcement blitzes, in conjunction with other agencies, that occur several times per year,” DFO wrote in a media release. 

“While each agency operated within their mandates on the roadside inspections, they shared operational knowledge to ensure the success of the enforcement blitz and gained a deeper understanding of each other’s roles and responsibilities.”

DFO noted that excess harvesting threatens conservation and could result in actions being taken to halt operations in impacted fisheries. 

To help keep fisheries stocked and open, DFO is calling on the public for information on any suspicious or potentially illegal activities. Anyone with information can call the toll-free violation reporting line at 1-800-465-4336 or reach out via email.