B.C. guide fined $12,000 for falsifying documents, exceeding fishing limits

MASSET — A British Columbia fishing guide has been fined $12,000 for exceeding his catch limits, then falsifying documents in an attempt to evade detection during an inspection.

The Fisheries Department says the guide, based in Haida Gwaii, was convicted in a provincial court last month of making a false statement to a fishery officer, as well as possessing fish in excess of legal limits.

The case stems from an inspection in July 2023, where the guide was found to have reached his annual limit for Chinook on his fishing licence.

The department says in a second encounter a month later, the guide presented a different fishing licence to inspectors when he had one Chinook and one halibut in excess of his limits.

Authorities discovered the discrepancy, and the man admitted that he gave them a reprinted copy of his licence, and investigators determining he knowingly presented false documents and made a misleading statement to officers.

The department says it is crucial for those with licences to stay within their catch limits, as accurate numbers represent “a vital part of ensuring sustainable stock management,” while also allowing Canada to meet treaty and other international obligations on fisheries.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 16, 2026.