A task force was formed on BC Day to monitor the compliance of fishing regulations in the Terrace and Kitimat areas.

Over the August long weekend, the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) worked with the highway patrol department of the RCMP, as well as the Terrace Conservation and Protection service, at a checkpoint on Highway 16 between Terrace and Prince Rupert. 

Officers kept an eye out for misidentified Chinook salmon, patrolling closed fishing areas, and checking licenses and gear. 

Although only six tickets were issued, most tickets contained multiple violations, adding up to a total of thirty violations, according to DFO Officer Jordan Wilson.

Nineteen of those were for over possession of salmon and halibut, three were over the Chinook daily limit, three were processing unidentified or uncountable fish, and the remaining five were license compliance violations. 

An investigation has also been started after officers confiscated seventy pounds of frozen crab meat, looking into the possible purchase from an unlawful source, though the investigation is still ongoing. 

The August long weekend is one of the busier weekends for fishing, with a large number of visitors coming to the northwest specifically for fishing. But Wilson explained that the increase of visitors does not increase the overall number of violations, and that the number of violations handed out tends to remain equal between visitors and locals.

Fishing regulations can change regularly, so Wilson encourages people to keep up to date with either the DFO website, their local tackle shops, or even calling a local DFO officer. 

If someone does witness a possible violation, they are encouraged by the DFO to call the violation reporting line: 1-800-465-4336. 

You can listen to the full radio story below: