$1.1 million worth of scallop meat seized, person arrested in southwest Nova Scotia

Scallops are caught in the net aboard the trawler Le Chant des Sirenes (The Mermaids' song), fishing at the limits of the French-UK waters, off Granville, Normandy, Tuesday, Nov.9, 2021. (AP Photo/Nicolas Garriga)

Fisheries and Oceans Canada officers arrested one person in southwest Nova Scotia Tuesday after officers seized 22,638 kilograms (49,795 pounds) of scallop meat, worth about $1.1 million.

The department says fishery officers from the Barrington detachment first detected the fishing vessel using a Vessel Monitoring System, before dispatching an offshore surveillance unit to visually confirm the vessel was fishing illegally in the closed area.

“Fishery officers boarded the vessel at sea and seized the catch. The un-shucked scallops on board were returned live to the ocean, and the captain was directed to take the vessel to Shelburne where the rest of the catch was offloaded,” reads a news release from Fisheries and Oceans Canada.

The department says the unnamed person was arrested for violations under the Fisheries Act, including fishing in a closed area – Scallop Fishing Area 29 D.

The incident is under investigation.

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