A Prince Rupert man was fined $7,500 after being found guilty of unlawfully possessing an endangered marine species.
Caylin James Holland was convicted on Aug. 5 in Prince Rupert Provincial Court after being charged with possession of ten Northern Abalones, which is a species listed as one of the endangered marine species in the Species at Risk Act of Canada.
The case dates back to Sep. 8, 2025, when Metlakatla Fishery Guardians informed the Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada of possible illegal harvesters in the Metlakatla area, approximately five kilometres north of Prince Rupert.
The Guardians, who regularly work alongside DFO’s Conservation and Protection fishery officers, suspected harvesters in the area may have caught Northern Abalone.
Following the report, fishery officers tracked down Holland and found him with 10 of the endangered mollusks.
The abalone were seized and later returned alive to suitable habitat to give them the best chance of survival.
Northern Abalone populations in the coastal areas of British Columbia have been declining sharply because of overfishing. The species was once abundant in the region, but a complete closure of the fishery was introduced in 1990.
Illegal harvesting and possession still pose a serious threat to conservation efforts.
The Northern Abalone is especially susceptible due to its slow speed and is easy to harvest by hand during low tide on rocky shores.
It is against the Species at Risk Act for anyone to have in possession, collect, buy, sell, or trade an endangered, threatened, or extirpated species.
According to DFO, cooperation with Indigenous Fishery Guardians is crucial in safeguarding vulnerable marine species, especially in remote coastal communities.
