Penalty Info

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Fisheries offencesVerified against official source

Verified against official source

This range was checked against the official legal text. Last verified: 2026-10-19.

Statutory range

Individual — ss. 34.4(1)/35(1) or 36(1)/(3) — indictable

Imprisonment
0 (no mandatory prison) – 3 years (subsequent offence only)
Fine
Fine $15,000–$1,000,000 (first offence) / $30,000–$2,000,000 (subsequent)

0 = the law sets no minimum prison term. The court is not required to impose prison. Depending on the offence, jurisdiction, and case, it may instead impose a non-custodial sentence — e.g. a suspended sentence, community order / probation, a fine, or a discharge.

s. 40(1)(a)(i) / 40(2)(a)(i). First-offence indictable tier is fine only; imprisonment available on a subsequent offence.

Individual — ss. 34.4(1)/35(1) or 36(1)/(3) — summary conviction

Imprisonment
0 (no mandatory prison) – 6 months (subsequent offence only)
Fine
Fine $5,000–$300,000 (first offence) / $10,000–$600,000 (subsequent)

0 = the law sets no minimum prison term. The court is not required to impose prison. Depending on the offence, jurisdiction, and case, it may instead impose a non-custodial sentence — e.g. a suspended sentence, community order / probation, a fine, or a discharge.

s. 40(1)(b)(i) / 40(2)(b)(i). First-offence summary tier is fine only.

Note on this entry

Individual tiers per s. 40(1)–(2), read from the official text. s. 40(3): summary conviction, fine up to $200,000 (first offence); subsequent: fine up to $200,000 and/or imprisonment up to 6 months. The court may relieve against the minimum fine for undue financial hardship (s. 40(2.2)).

Source

Statute
Fisheries Act s. 40
Official source
laws-lois.justice.gc.ca
Verification status
Last verified
2026-10-19
Not legal advice. This range is the statutory penalty as written in the law — it is not “your sentence.” What is NOT accounted for here: Priors beyond tier, attempt, concurrence, plea, discretion, ancillary orders, corporate tiers, s. 40(3) regulatory offences. If you face a real charge, consult a licensed lawyer in the relevant jurisdiction.