N.S. fisherman fined $23,000 for fishing in N.B. waters during closed time

After changing his plea to guilty on a charge of fishing out of season in the Bay of Fundy, a Nova Scotia lobster fisherman has been fined $23,000 in a New Brunswick court, and has also received a lifetime ban from participating in any aboriginal fishing licence.

Leonard Jewers, 38, of Ecum Secum, N.S., the captain of the Fundy Trapper II, was fishing under an Indian Brook First Nation licence at the time of his offence in southwestern N.B. in November 2006.

Jewers was also fined $2,000 after pleading guilty to obstructing a fishery officer and was ordered to forfeit the $8,000 from the sale of his catch.

Five other fishery charges against him were dropped. Charges against one of his crewmembers were also withdrawn.

On Nov. 2, 2006, DFO officers boarded Jewers’ vessel that was fishing in lobster fishing area (LFA) 36 in the Bay of Fundy. Although fishing in the adjacent LFA 35 had started in October, lobster fishing in LFA 36 was not set to commence until Nov. 4. Jewers’ vessel was about a half mile in the closed zone.

DFO says there were 30 crates of lobster on board.

Half of the catch was sold, the rest was in too poor condition and was released.

According to DFO, the lobster fisherman was uncooperative and damaged the vessel’s electronic equipment that would be used to indicate the fishing vessel’s whereabouts.

Although the fisherman – who originally had said he had unknowingly drifted into LFA 36 – was fishing under an aboriginal licence, the department said this wasn’t a native issue, rather it was a poaching issue.

After repeated adjournments at the request of the defendant, the matter had been slated to go to trial on July 28. Instead a sentencing took place after Jewers changed his pleas to guilty.