Poachers arrested in NFLD

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According to a press release from the province's Justice Department, two off-duty Fish and Wildlife Enforcement Officers encountered two adult males in the Bottom Brook area near Lewisporte on Sunday, August 30, who appeared to be illegally jigging salmon.

Upon investigation, the officers discovered that the men were apparently corralling salmon into a pool and then using illegal equipment to jig the fish. When the officers attempted an arrest, one of the men fled on foot but was apprehended after a short pursuit.

As a result of the investigation, the officers located three salmon on the shoreline and found seven additional salmon concealed in a bag nearby. The two men were charged with a number of violations of the Federal Fisheries Act and released to appear in Provincial Court at a later date. The 10 salmon, a three-pronged jigger and fishing line were seized.

This latest arrest falls on the heels of several other incidents involving illegal fishing for salmon, with 15 counts of poaching recorded so far in 2015.