A man in his 30s has been fined $7,500 for illegally possessing northern abalone, an endangered shellfish species protected under Canada’s Species at Risk Act. Caylin James Holland was convicted of the offence of illegally possessing, buying or selling a threatened species in Prince Rupert provincial court on Aug. 5, according to a statement issued Monday by Fisheries and Oceans Canada. The DFO said the conviction stemmed from an incident that occurred on Sept. 8, 2025. According to the federal department, fisheries officers were notified that day by Metlakatla Fishery Guardians of suspected illegal harvesting in Metlakatla, five kilometres north of Prince Rupert on B.C.’s north coast. “Due to the timely information from the Metlakatla Guardians, fishery officers were able to locate Mr. Holland,” the DFO’s statement reads. “He was found in possession of 10 northern abalone. The abalone were seized and later returned alive to suitable habitat to maximize their chance of survival.” Online court records indicate Holland was also charged with illegally killing, harassing or capturing a threatened species, unlawfully fishing during a closed time and failing to produce a licence, but those charges were stayed when he pleaded guilty to the possession offence. The DFO explained that northern abalone were once abundant along the B.C. coast, but their populations declined significantly due to overharvesting, which resulted in the complete closure of the fishery in 1990. “Illegal harvesting and possession continue to pose one of the greatest threats to the species’ recovery,” the DFO said. The department added that it works closely with Indigenous partners—including the Metlakatla Fishery Guardians—on fisheries enforcement. The DFO asks anyone who has information about suspected fisheries violations to call its toll-free violation reporting line at 1-800-465-4336, or send an email to DFO.ORR-ONS.MPO@dfo-mpo.gc.ca.
