PICTOU – A Merigomish fisherman was fined $2500 for having one undersized canner lobster in his catch.
Percy John Hayne entered a guilty plea in Pictou provincial court Monday to having a lobster measuring less than 76 mm in his catch on May 31, 2017, in Lismore.
Fisheries officers were at the Lismore wharf when Hayne was unloading his lobster catch. The market lobsters measured the proper limit but one of the lobsters picked out of the 95-pound catch of canners was undersized.
The court was told that Hayne claimed responsibility for the undersized canner. It was mentioned that he was the captain in the boat but was busy training a novice fishermen about the industry.
The defence also said Hayne is an advocate for the fishing industry and has fought for size limits to help improve sustainability of the industry over the years so it is unfortunate for him to be in this situation.
The Crown pointed out that in the past year two fishers have been fined $4,000 and $7,000 respectively for having undersized lobster in their boats but after much discussion with the defence it was recommended that a fine of $2,500 was acceptable for the court to consider based on the circumstances.
