Canadian seafood giant Clearwater was convicted of "gross violation" of fisheries regulations last fall after senior management ignored federal government warnings to change the way the company conducts its monopoly offshore lobster fishery, CBC News has learned. Unlike every other lobster fishery, there is no season and Clearwater has been awarded a quota of 720 tonnes, which it says represents about 15 per cent of all lobster it sells. Lobster traps are shown in Eastern Passage, N.S., on Wednesday, Jan. 9, 2019. Three Clearwater companies were in court that day, charged with violating Section 115.2 of the Atlantic Fishery Regulations:Clearwater Seafood Inc.Clearwater Seafood Limited Partnership. Arnold raised conservation concerns in 2016 and 2017 about Clearwater storing traps with both DFO and the Marine Stewardship Council, which certifies the Clearwater offshore lobster fishery as environmentally sustainable.

Source: CBC News January 10, 2019 09:56 UTC