Poaching Alert

How to reach us

Poaching Alert confidential

Telephone: 1-800-463-9057

Marine resources and their habitats are part of our collective heritage. Their value is priceless and we all share the responsibility of preserving them.

Unfortunately, each year, illegal acts endanger the sustainability of fish stocks and the reproductive potential of their habitats. The most common Fishery Act infractions are:

• fishing by non licence-holders
• fishing in a closed area
• exceeding authorized catch limits
• use of illegal fishing gear
• the sale of fish caught on recreational fishing trips
• altering, disturbing or destroying fish habitats
• pollution of the coastal or marine environment

Quebec Region fisheries officers and at-sea observers monitor a vast territory, which is a colossal task. To assist fisheries officers and at-sea observers in performing their duties, we ask you to contact the DFO Poaching Alert Network (1-800-463-9057) if you witness poaching or destruction of fish habitats. To make it easier for fisheries officers to respond, please note the following before contacting the DFO:

• nature of the offence;
• place, date and time of the offence;
• identity of the offenders or their description;
• description and registration number of the vessel and/or vehicle, and
• any avaiblable evidence of the infraction (photographs may prove very useful as evidence)

The identity of persons calling Poaching Alert is kept confidential. Callers remain anonymous and are not required to serve as witnesses in legal proceedings.

Calls are immediately processed to determine the seriousness of the offence and, by order of priority, transmitted to fisheries officers to be investigated as soon as possible.