B.C. man handed $60K fine after conducting illegal property work | Daily Hive

DFO

A man from Vancouver Island was fined $60,000 for conducting illegal property work that ultimately damaged a vital fish habitat in B.C.

Although the official ruling came down earlier this year, the Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) released the details this week.

On January 23, 2025, the Courtenay Provincial Court found David Tingley guilty of failing to correct work that he conducted on his property illegally. The work that Tingley performed affected fish and fish habitat on the Trent River.

DFO calls this area an important fish-bearing watercourse.

According to the DFO, Tingley made unauthorized alterations to the habitat in the area. On May 15, 2020, Tingley was ordered to undo the damage he had done by June 15, 2020. Tingley was notified that a failure to comply with the directions of a fishery officer would result in charges.

The DFO doesn’t provide specifics about the nature of the work, only stating that it affected the habitat.

DFO says that its officers work closely with biologists from DFO’s Fish and Fish Habitat Protection Program “to ensure any work undertaken near water complies with the fish and fish habitat protection provisions of the Fisheries Act.”

Tingley’s $60,000 fine was directed to the Environmental Damages Fund, which contributes to the conservation and protection of salmon and salmon habitat in the Vancouver Island region.

“The case stems from work carried out without Fisheries Act authorization over successive years on one of Mr. Tingley’s properties,” DFO states.

If you know of anyone conducting work of this nature, the DFO welcomes tips and information on these activities.

“Anyone with information can call DFO Pacific Region’s toll-free violation reporting line at 1-800-465-4336, or email the details to DFO.ORR-ONS.MPO@dfo-mpo.gc.ca.”

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