MIL OSI Translation. Canadian French to English –
Source: Government of Canada – in French 1
A lake-based rainbow trout aquaculture site in Powell River has been fined following a lengthy investigation by Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO).
September 26, 2024
Powell River, British Columbia – A lake-based rainbow trout aquaculture site in Powell River has been fined following a lengthy investigation by Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO).
On August 22, 2024, the Powell River Provincial Court fined West Coast Fishculture (Lois Lake) Ltd. $350,000 for carrying out aquaculture activities that were not covered by an aquaculture licence, contrary to section 7 of the Pacific Aquaculture Regulations. They were operating their fish farm in an area of the lake that was outside the provincial land tenure boundary. The operators were also ordered to remove all structures outside their land boundaries by August 31, 2025. West Coast Fishculture (Lois Lake) Ltd. pleaded guilty to the charge. During site inspections, DFO Conservation and Protection fishery officers identified a number of other issues, including inadequate mitigation measures to prevent fish from escaping.
In British Columbia, DFO is responsible for issuing licences for aquaculture operations. Licence conditions specify reporting and operational requirements to ensure that aquaculture sites are operated in an environmentally sustainable manner that minimizes risks to wild fish stocks and marine resources. This significant fine underscores the obligation of operators to follow the rules and regulations of British Columbia’s highly regulated aquaculture industry.
The investigation was conducted following public complaints received through the Observe, Record, Report hotline. Anyone with information related to fisheries violations can call the DFO Pacific Region toll-free Violation Reporting Line at 1-800-465-4336, or email details to DFO.ORR-ONS.MPO@dfo-mpo.gc.ca.
Media RelationsPacific RegionFisheries and Oceans Canada604 666 1746media.pac@dfo-mpo.gc.ca
EDITOR’S NOTE: This article is a translation. Apologies should the grammar and/or sentence structure not be perfect.