Fishing with Rod Discussion Forum
Fishing in British Columbia => Fishing-related Issues & News => Topic started by: troutbreath on April 20, 2011, 04:52:08 PM
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He'd still be driving the Bronco if it were Carp.
Man fined $2,400 for selling illegal salmon out of back of truck
By Neal Hall, Vancouver SunApril 6, 2011
Vancouver -- A man caught selling First Nations sockeye salmon out of the back of a truck in East Vancouver has been handed a $2,400 fine and won't get his Ford Bronco back until the fine is paid in full.
Larry Steven Totolewski, 61, was caught by a fisheries officer selling the sockeye salmon out of the back of a truck at Kitchener and Victoria Drive on Aug. 26, 2009.
He said he had been given 60 fish by a First Nations "friend" living on the Musqueam reserve in Vancouver, but was unable to use all the fish, so he decided to sell about 40.
Salmon caught during a native fishery opening on the Fraser are only supposed to be used for food, social or ceremonial purposes, not commercial sales.
Because of the poor return of sockeye that year, there were no commercial or recreational openings for sockeye salmon on the Fraser.
Totolewski was found to have 53 fish in a tub containing ice and a sign on his truck that said:'Fresh Sockeye.'
He was charging $20 a fish. He said his friend gave him the fish in trade for an expensive leather jacket that no longer fit him because he had lost weight because of illness.
The friend was supposed to do a bear carving for the jacket but one of the legs of the bear broke, so it was never finished, he said.
Instead, the friend paid in fish, said Totolewski, who pleaded guilty to unlawfully selling sockeye salmon from the Fraser River, an offence under the Fisheries Act.
The Crown asked the judge to impose a $2,500 fine and forfeiture of the 1989 Ford Bronco, worth an estimated $2,500.
The defence suggested a $500 fine and no forfeiture of the truck, which was seized earlier.
Vancouver Provincial Court Judge Frances Howard imposed a $2,400 fine, to be paid at $200 month.
Once the fine is paid, Totolewski can get his truck back, the judge decided.
nhall@vancouversun.com
© Copyright (c) The Vancouver Sun
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So, is Totolewski native?? Sorry if that's abundantly obvious and I'm just missing it...
John
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you're missing it ??? It says ha was given 60 fish by a first nations "friend".
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It's good to see people being charged for selling salmon illegally. Why do we not hear of charges for people buying salmon? The regs are clear that it is illegal to buy salmon from other that a retail store or commercial fisherman.
.......and why was the native not charged for selling/trading the salmon for an expensive leather jacket?
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The friend was supposed to do a bear carving for the jacket but one of the legs of the bear broke, so it was never finished, he said.
I imagine when the bear broke it was not in the best position to be carved. Would you want a Bear carving on you jacket where the Bear is lying on it's side with a broken leg? Really AF your not telling me you would wear that jacket :-\
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Confusing story.
Nobody "carves" on leather... So the leather jacket and the bear carving are 2 separate items. The way I read it, was that the native wanted the leather jacket made a bear carving to exchange for the jacket, but unfortunately it broke.
So the white guy agreed to take salmon instead.
My point is the native was not doing anything illegal when he offered a bear carving in exchange for the jacket, but as soon as he offered salmon he was in essence "selling" the salmon. That's not legal.
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The bear carving broke so he gave him salmon for the jacket. He got fined as well twice as much as the 60 salmon he was probably selling.
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I highly doubt that he only sold 60 salmon.... It's like saying that a shop lifter got caught stealing a watch... How many other watches did he steal without getting caught. This guy just happened to get caught selling the 60 salmon.
I obviously don't buy the bear carving and leather jacket part of the story either!
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Well if you go to the Musqueam reserve and see a guy doing bear carvings wearing a nice leather jacket there might be some truth to it. :)
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Well if you go to the Musqueam reserve and see a guy doing bear carvings wearing a nice leather jacket there might be some truth to it. :)
I'll check that out and get back to you....... ;D ;D