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HAY RIVER
Numerous charges are expected to be laid in what one Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) official said is one of the largest fish seizures he has seen in his 12-year career in the territory.

On Sept, 22, Gerald Fillatre, detachment supervisor with the DFO, was among officers conducting an aerial surveillance flight monitoring two areas closed to fishing near Hay River. Four commercial fishing vessels were observed fishing those areas.

As a result, 2.35 tons - 47,000 pounds - of fish were seized. The fish were a variety of species and filled 56 tubs that took three truck loads to haul away.

"The fish were seized and then sold to the fish plant in Hay River," said Fillatre. "Nothing goes to waste."

One of the protected areas where the vessels were found fishing is closed year-round to protect the inconnu species and the other was closed for the season because the quota for whitefish and lake trout had already been reached.

The survey and seizure was conducted by DFO officers headquartered in Yellowknife. Normally, there are two officers permanently

stationed in Hay River, but those positions are currently vacant.

The four-officer DFO team covers the entire Northwest Territories. Because of the huge area, they enlist the assistance of the federal Department of Defence and the territorial Department of Environment and Natural Resources.

"The territory is so large that we've been doing aerial surveillance flights because we can cover a lot more area," said Fillatre.

Since May, DFO officials have conducted nine aerial patrols in the NWT, and this seizure came as the result of one of these flights. Officers observed at least one violation of the Fisheries Act during three of the first eight flights. The results of the ninth flight were not available by press time.

Aside from the aerial surveillance, fisheries officers rely heavily on the public to call in illegal fishing taking place in their area, said Fillatre. He asked that anyone aware of overfishing, commercial fishing in restricted areas and other infractions, contact the department, their local fisheries office or the poaching hotline.

"Our preference is to get voluntary compliance," he said. "But when necessary, we will pursue charges."

Several charges are expected to result from the ongoing investigation into the Sept. 22 seizure.

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