Paul William Russell of St. Jude’s NL learned it really doesn’t pay to poach! Russell plead guilty to several Provincial offences, including possession of untagged salmon and not tagging a salmon. Mr. Russell was apprehended by IFEP officers during the takedown of Operation “Click” on August 22, 2008. Operation “Click” was a 15 month investigation conducted by the IFEP into salmon poaching on the Humber River at the Deer Lake Tailrace.
His Federal offence was for retaining more salmon than the quota allowed. The Federal offence “netted” him a $1,500 fine plus he had to forfeit his 1992 pick-up truck and fishing gear (rod, reel, vest).
Other court orders said that over the next 5 years he must stay at least 10 metres from fisheries waters except for ferry and coastal boat travel, crossing over ice while snowmobiling and crossing bridges. He was also told not to fish within 500 metres of The Tailrace for 10 years. (The area known as The Tailrace is just below the Deer Lake powerhouse).
Under the Provincial offences he was ordered to pay a $200 fine, a $2,000 fine and forfeited the four salmon that were seized by officers.
And it didn’t stop there – Russell is banned from buying a fishing license for five years. In administering judgement Judge Catherine Allen-Westby stated – ‘Our salmon stocks are sacred in this Province. A message must be sent loud and clear that this sort of behaviour is unacceptable.”
SPAWN couldn’t agree more and we are more than pleased to see poachers pay for their dirty work. We congratulate IFEP (Inland Fish Enforcement Protection) for effectively carrying out “Operation Click”.
Well done!