Fisheries officials seize $170,000 worth of halibut in Nova Scotia
Illegal fishing in protected waters
Federal fisheries officers intercepted a vessel that had been trawling in the St. Anns Bank Marine Protected Area, a zone designated to safeguard marine ecosystems off the coast of Cape Breton.
The tracking began on July 6, when the boat was first observed entering the protected region, and continued on July 8 as it persisted in fishing despite repeated attempts by officials to make contact.
On the second day of surveillance, officers boarded the ship near Louisbourg, Nova Scotia, and ordered it to return to port for inspection.
The following day, authorities confiscated an 8,000‑kilogram haul of halibut, a catch valued at more than $170,000, marking one of the largest seizures of its kind in the region.
Officials have charged the vessel’s captain with illegal fishing, obstruction of a lawful order, and failure to report the catch as required by federal regulations.
