Several halibut fishermen have been fined more than $100,000 for convictions.
Two Nova Scotia men face stiff penalties after they were convicted of illegal activity in the halibut fishery in Bridgewater court. The Oct. 22 sentencing brings to a conclusion a series of convictions involving the same fishing vessel which together yielded fines totaling $101,000 and forfeitures of $12,308 in catch and gear.
Steven Edward Goreham received a total of $10,000 in fines for fishing without a license and for buying, selling, or possessing fish caught in contravention of the Fisheries Act. He is also prohibited from fishing or from being on any fishing vessel in Canadian Fishing Waters for a period of five years. Meanwhile, Corey Wade Barkhouse received $37,000 in fines after he pled guilty to fishing without a license and to buying, selling or possessing fish caught in contravention of the Fisheries Act.
The sentencing brings to a conclusion a lengthy investigation into the fishing activities of the fishing vessel "Portuguese Lady" which was initiated in April 2010 by fishery officers from the Barrington Detachment with assistance from the Shelburne, Liverpool, and Tusket Detachments. In addition to these two convictions this investigation resulted in substantial fines and forfeitures for another two crewmembers from the same vessel and a member of the processing industry.