A fishing skipper from Vancouver was convicted of fishery-related offences in Duncan court, and fined a total of $2,750.
George Louis Vukic, 71, pleaded guilty to three separate licensing violations on his 36-foot fishing vessel Ms. Maxine that occurred in October, 2016, while fishing in the Strait of Georgia near Cowichan Bay.
Vukic acknowledged that he failed to record the daily catch report confirmation number in the appropriate space of the vessel’s Daily Catch Record on Oct. 28, 2016; failed to maintain a harvest log of all harvest operations on the same day; and failed to maintain a harvest log of all harvest operations between Oct. 3-27, 2016.
The Crown was looking for Vukic to be fined a total of $5,000 for all three offences.
In deciding on the fines, Provincial Court Judge J. Parker MacCarthy said he doesn’t think Vukic will re-offend and there is nothing to suggest that he has profited financially from his non-compliance of the fishery rules.
“However, general deterrence is very important, especially to protect the fishery,” MacCarthy said.
“The sanctions must, therefore, be proportionate to the offences committed. The offender here is blameworthy, but I must place that in the context of the applicable aggravating and mitigating factors, as well as the whole of the circumstances.”
Vukic was given four months to pay the $2,750 in fines.
robert.barron@cowichanvalleycitizen.com
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