# BC vessel master fined $30,000 over commercial prawn licence violations

> A Nanaimo court imposed the fine and ordered gear forfeited after four convictions tied to 2023 fishing activity.

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- Publisher: Newsverum
- Section: Government
- Country: Canada
- Published: 2026-10-06T17:58:49+00:00
- Updated: 2026-10-07T05:57:05+03:00
- Event / data period: 2026-07-31
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A Nanaimo Provincial Court fined the master of the commercial prawn vessel Dark Star $30,000 on July 31, 2026, after he pleaded guilty to four counts of failing to follow licence conditions. The court also ordered seized fishing gear forfeited.

Fisheries and Oceans Canada said the violations occurred near Nanaimo between May 12 and June 6, 2023. Investigators cited a dummy float and gaps in mandatory vessel-monitoring transmissions, including activation later than the required 72 hours before departure. The October 5 release reports the conviction and does not describe a new fishing rule.

## Data

### Dark Star licence case

Convictions and fine reported by the Nanaimo court and Fisheries and Oceans Canada.

Methodology: The fine and count of convictions are transcribed from the July 31, 2026 court outcome; the underlying violations occurred in 2023.

| label | value | unit | period | basis |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Counts for licence-condition violations | 4 | count | 2026-07-31 | observed |
| Court fine | 30000 | CAD | 2026-07-31 | observed |

Sources: <https://www.canada.ca/en/fisheries-oceans/news/2026/10/commercial-vessel-master-fined-30000-for-illegal-prawn-fishing-activities.html> · Download data: [JSON](https://newsverum.com/api/v1/articles/british-columbia-prawn-fishery-vessel-master-fined-after-licence-offences-2026/data/dark-star-prawn-licence-case?lang=en&format=json) · [CSV](https://newsverum.com/api/v1/articles/british-columbia-prawn-fishery-vessel-master-fined-after-licence-offences-2026/data/dark-star-prawn-licence-case?lang=en&format=csv)

## Sources

- [Fisheries and Oceans Canada](<https://www.canada.ca/en/fisheries-oceans/news/2026/10/commercial-vessel-master-fined-30000-for-illegal-prawn-fishing-activities.html>) (Source checked: 2026-10-06; Published: 2026-10-05)

## Correction history

- 2026-10-07T00:51:16+03:00: German and Portuguese editions and translations of the data and correction explanations have been added to this article.
- 2026-10-07T05:57:05+03:00: Data classification added: each figure now carries a measure identifier with its unit, geography, frequency and type. No figure, unit or date changed.

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