Prince Rupert, B.C. - The Government of Canada is committed to protecting Canada's wildlife and biodiversity. This includes safeguarding the long-term health and productivity of Canada's fisheries resources and the habitat that supports them, for generations to come.
On October 31st, 2022, commercial fisherman Adrian Slavko Kern was fined a total of $49,704.68 for violating Canada's Fisheries Act. Mr. Kern pleaded guilty in Prince Rupert Provincial Court and was ordered to pay a fine of $25,000 for illegally setting fishing gear plus an additional $24,706.48 for the illegal sale of fish. The court judgement also prohibited Mr. Kern from applying for a new commercial fishing licence and from fishing under any commercial licence for a period of 8 months.
Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) has a mandate to protect and conserve marine resources and to enforce the Fisheries Act. DFO's enforcement program uses a wide range of tools to do this by pursuing a risk-based, intelligence-supported approach. The Department deploys fishery officers to respond to priority issues through a variety of methods, including aerial, ocean, river, on-the-ground, night and plainclothes patrols. In addition to these patrols, DFO dedicates officers to complex and large investigations, as well as education and awareness activities.
