Question Period Note: Dockside Monitor Charged with Taking Bribes in Crab, Falsifying Catch Records

• Dockside Observers are not employees of Fisheries and Oceans Canada. Rather, they are employees of an independent, private-sector company.
• In this specific case, the Department has revoked the individual’s Dockside Observer designation. Following an investigation by Conservation and Protection, charges were laid against the individual for three offences under the Fisheries Act and five counts under the Criminal Code. Relevant information from our investigation has also been handed over to the RCMP.
• A trial date for this case has been set for June 5, 2024.
• The Department remains strongly committed to maintaining credibility and integrity in third-party monitoring programs to ensure the Department receives accurate and timely harvest data, which is essential in managing sustainable fisheries.

Dockside observer charged with taking bribes in crab, falsifying catch records - Overview of Current
Third Party Observer Programs
• The At-Sea Observer Program (ASOP) and Dockside Monitoring Program (DMP) fall under Fisheries and Oceans Canada’s (DFO) suite of catch monitoring programs, which support a variety of Resource Management (RM) decisions, Science advice, and compliance monitoring purposes within the department.
• The DMP provides independent third party verification of fish landings. The program provides accurate and timely harvest data, including the weight and species landed.
• Under the current delivery model, DMP programs are paid for by the fishing industry. Commercial harvesters make agreements with service providers that are designated by DFO.
• Across Canada, nine 16 Dockside Monitoring Companies (DMCs) employ more than 500 dockside monitors (DMs).

Third Party Observer Programs:
Observers as Designated Contractors / Multi-Supplier Model (2013 to present)
• In 2012, the federal government announced that it would shift all costs of the observer programs to the fishing industry
• DFO would shift to a multi-supplier model where observer corporations would be designated by DFO to work anywhere in Canada.
• After 2013, industry could choose which corporation to use for observer services – i.e., members of the fishing industry would contract directly with the observer corporations.
Background on specific case (internal use only): In May 2023, DFO Conservation and Protection (C&P) NL initiated an investigation of a dockside observer for making false statements to a fisheries official, producing false records, and unlawfully possessing or selling fish. The alleged offences were related to the Snow crab fishery on the west coast of Newfoundland. The C&P investigation found evidence of these alleged offences and the individual’s Dockside Observer Program designation was revoked in June 2023. Per standard practice, information from the C&P investigation that was deemed potentially criminal in nature was handed over to the RCMP for follow-up, and the RCMP laid additional charges under the Criminal Code. The individual’s case is expected to be heard in court in Stephenville on June 5, 2024.

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