Fishy freight nets Alberta trucking company big fine

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WINDSOR, Ont. — An Edmonton trucking firm and its Markham, Ont.-based driver have been fined a total of $75,000 for trying to bring live Asian carp into Ontario.

Alltheway Trucking and Yong-Sheng Zhang were each found guilty under the federal Fisheries Act, of possessing live invasive fish, according to the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources. The bulk of the fine, $70,000, was assessed to the trucking company.

On Jan. 25 2012, a truck from Alltheway Trucking was stopped at the Ambassador Bridge and found to be carrying grass and bighead carp from Arkansas. Some of the grass carp were still alive, leading to the seizure of all the fish.

On Feb. 28, the same driver and same trucking company were again stopped at the border as they attempted to bring a load of carp – some still alive – into Canada.

This time, the truck was also confiscated, and held until all the carp had died. The Ontario Court of Justice in Windsor handed down the fine today.

“It has been illegal to possess live invasive fish, including bighead, grass, black and silver carp, in Ontario since 2005 because of the significant threat they pose to the province’s lake systems,” the Ministry of Natural Resources said in a release. “As part of the ongoing efforts to protect Ontario’s environment from the importation of invasive species, the Ministry of Natural Resources will continue to work with its law enforcement partners to monitor compliance with the legislation.”

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  • The government needs to step in and make an example out of this company. This is ridiculous. A $75,000 fine? Shut them down.

  • This company must be disbanded immmediately, fined to no end. All involved should be sent to prison for a long term.

  • It will cost BILLIONS of Canadian dollars to clean up and keep our Asian Carp from our Great Lakes. With such a high cost to Canadians, shouldn’t the penalty result in an immediate seizure and freeze of company and carrier assets in Canada and a ban on all movement of goods? Shouldn’t we revoke their licenses and permits and flag every involved member of the company to prohibit future import business?

  • Nature has invariably kicked our butts and the Asian carp can be considered asi an underwater swarm of locusts. There is a dilusional form of thinking that truly believes that we, as humans can control the migration of an invasive species, and underwater no less. We are still consumed with the notion that we can deal with Canada geese and every year we waste a lot of hot air as we insist that the solution is in our beloved technology. Some staes are pondering an $18 billion blockade by electrocution or concrete but it would all be for not if someone dumped the eggs of a female into a lake. The truth is that we cannot police every species like we think we can. The opportunity for error is far greater and easier than the possibility for success as history reminds us. It may not be as pretty as your perch,bass, or pickerel but its a large supply of meat that we may be thankful to have if, as a species, our own luck runs out. The meat is white and similar in flavor to cod or tilapia although the bone structure.is a challenge for processing equipment. The niavity of modern man is that they believe that our technology has arrived at a panacea where we can legitimy entertain such endeavors like controlling the course of nature.
    Other parts of the world would see this as a blessing and rees the harvest. a case of “When life gives you lemons, make lemonade.” I spent 15 years in the transportation of fresh,frozen, and live fresh and salt water products. Good luck with that Asian carp thing.

  • This is pure disregard for our country and laws the company and driver know better it is mafia smuggling the fine was not heavy enough and the punishment too light they should have lost everything