This case involved an aboriginal defence to a charge of selling salmon caught without a fishing licence. At the time the offence took place, the accused was a member of the Gixsan First Nation that had signed an Interim Fisheries Measures Agreement and a subsequent allocation agreement that, amongst other things provided that during the 1995 fishing season, the GWWA …
Full Summary
These summaries of recent Fisheries law cases are prepared by Brad Caldwell of Caldwell & Co., 404-815 Hornby Street, Vancouver, B.C., V6Z 2E6. Telephone (604) 689-8894, E-mail: brad@marine-law.ca CV: Link.
Readers are urged to consult CanLii for updates to the cases digested on this site.
R v. Tommy, Nelson and Douglas, 2002 BCPC 39
This case arose out of charges of drift-net fishing without a licence in the Fraser River by members of both the Cheam Indian Band the Kwantlen Band. At trial the Crown conceded a Prima Facie infringement of an aboriginal right to fish. With respect to the issue the infringement, the court applied the Sparrow test and concluded that the restriction …
Full SummaryGladstone v. Canada, 2005 SCC 21
This case involved a quantity of herring spawn on kelp that was seized pursuant to s. 58(1) of the Fisheries Act (1970) and subsequently sold pursuant to s. 58(1) and paid into the consolidated revenue fund. After a successful appeal by the fishermen to the Supreme Court of Canada, the matter was eventually stayed by the Crown and the proceeds …
Full SummaryGwasslaam (Geroge Phillip Daniels) v. Canada (Fisheries and Oceans), 2008 FC 912
This case involved a claim to an aboriginal fishing right. In an application under Federal Court Rule 312 to admit supplemental affidavit evidence of oral history, the Prothonotary denied the application primarily on the grounds that the evidence of oral history was available at the time the application was filed. Upon appeal from a decision of a Prothonotary, the court …
Full Summary