A fishing charter company has been fined a total of $22,000 in Sechelt Provincial Court for the illegal catching of a rockfish species.
On January 16, the Rainbow Covenant Fishing Yacht Charter Ltd., and guides Jonathan Li and Guang Yi Xu were found guilty of catching and retaining Yelloweye Rockfish during a closed period.
The two were working as fishing guides in May 2024 aboard a recreational fishing charter near Nelson Island and were targeting Yelloweye Rockfish and allowing the guests on board to catch and retain them.
Catching the species is allowed, however, they must be released immediately after which the Deep Sniper fishing vessel did not.
The Yellow Rockfish is one of 38 species of rockfish found along the B.C. Coast and is highly vulnerable due to overfishing in the area.
Both the company and guides entered guilty pleas, with the company being fined $12,000, a $1,000 fine to Li, and a $9,000 fine to Xu.
All the caught fish, eight fishing rods and reels, and two crab traps were forfeited by order of the court.
Other fishing related restrictions were ordered that are set to take effect in May.
