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Fisheries Act, Part 3
GENERAL PROHIBITIONS
Fishing in limits leased to another prohibited
23. No one shall fish for, take, catch or kill fish in any water, along any beach or within any fishery described in any lease or licence, or place, use, draw or set therein any fishing gear or apparatus, except by permission of the occupant under the lease or licence for the time being, or shall disturb or injure any such fishery.
R.S., c. F-14, s. 21.
Seines, nets, etc., not to obstruct navigation
24. Seines, nets or other fishing apparatus shall not be set or used in such manner or in such place as to obstruct the navigation of boats and vessels and no boats or vessels shall destroy or wantonly injure in any way seines, nets or other fishing apparatus lawfully set.
R.S., c. F-14, s. 22.
Setting gear during close time
25. (1) Subject to the regulations, no person shall place or set any fishing gear or apparatus in any water, along any beach or within any fishery during a close time.
Removal of gear
(2) Subject to the regulations and subsection (3), any person who places or sets any fishing gear or apparatus in any water, along any beach or within any fishery shall remove it when the gear or apparatus is not being tended and prior to the commencement of a close time.
Officer's discretion
(3) A fishery officer may permit fishing gear or apparatus to remain in the water, along a beach or within a fishery after the commencement of a close time for any period the fishery officer considers necessary to permit the removal of the gear or apparatus.
R.S., 1985, c. F-14, s. 25; 1991, c. 1, s. 6.
Main channel not to be obstructed
26. (1) One-third of the width of any river or stream and not less than two-thirds of the width of the main channel at low tide in every tidal stream shall be always left open, and no kind of net or other fishing apparatus, logs or any material of any kind shall be used or placed therein.
(2) [Repealed, 1991, c. 1, s. 7]
Devices to prevent escape of fish
(3) The Minister may authorize the placing and maintaining of barriers, screens or other obstructions in streams to prevent the escape of fish held for fish breeding purposes or any other purpose that the Minister deems in the public interest, and no person shall injure any such barrier, screen or other obstruction.
R.S., 1985, c. F-14, s. 26; 1991, c. 1, s. 7.
Fish-ways and canals
27. No one shall
(a) damage or obstruct any fish-way or canal built, constructed or used to enable fish to pass over or around any obstruction;
(b) do anything to stop, impede or hinder fish from entering or passing the fish-way or canal or to stop, impede or hinder fish from surmounting any obstacle or leap; or
(c) fish in any manner within twenty-five yards downstream from the lower entrance to any fish-way, canal, obstacle or leap.
R.S., c. F-14, s. 25.
Use of explosives prohibited
28. No one shall hunt or kill fish or marine animals of any kind, other than porpoises, whales, walruses, sea-lions and hair seals, by means of rockets, explosive materials, explosive projectiles or shells.
R.S., c. F-14, s. 26.
Nets, weirs, etc., not to obstruct passage of fish
29. (1) No one shall erect, use or maintain in any of the Canadian fisheries waters, whether subject to any exclusive right of fishery or not, any net, weir or other device that unduly obstructs the passage of fish.
Removal
(2) The Minister or a fishery officer may order the removal of or remove any net, weir or other device that, in the opinion of the Minister or fishery officer, unduly obstructs the passage of fish.
R.S., c. F-14, s. 27.
Fish guards only where Minister deems necessary
30. (1) Every water intake, ditch, channel or canal in Canada constructed or adapted for conducting water from any Canadian fisheries waters for irrigating, manufacturing, power generation, domestic or other purposes shall, if the Minister deems it necessary in the public interest, be provided at its entrance or intake with a fish guard or a screen, covering or netting so fixed as to prevent the passage of fish from any Canadian fisheries waters into the water intake, ditch, channel or canal.
Structure of fish guards
(2) The fish guard, screen, covering or netting referred to in subsection (1) shall
(a) have meshes or holes of such dimensions as the Minister may prescribe; and
(b) be built and maintained by the owner or occupier of the water intake, ditch, channel or canal referred to in subsection (1), subject to the approval of the Minister or of such officer as the Minister may appoint to examine it.
Duty of owner to keep in repair
(3) The owner or occupier of the water intake, ditch, channel or canal referred to in subsection (1) shall maintain the fish guard, screen, covering or netting referred to in that subsection in a good and efficient state of repair and shall not permit its removal except for renewal or repair.
Removal
(4) During the time in which a renewal or repair referred to in subsection (1) is being effected, the sluice or gate at the intake or entrance of the water intake, ditch, channel or canal shall be closed in order to prevent the passage of fish into the water intake, ditch, channel or canal.
R.S., c. F-14, s. 28; 1976-77, c. 35, s. 4.
Permit required
31. (1) No one shall catch, fish for, take, buy, sell, possess or export any fish for the purposes of converting it into fish meal, manure, guano or fertilizer, or for the manufacture or conversion of the fish into oil, fish meal or manure or other fertilizing product, except under authority of the Minister.
Exception by Minister
(2) The Minister may, by notice published in the Canada Gazette, except any kind or kinds of fish from the operation of all or any part of subsection (1).
R.S., c. F-14, s. 29.
Destruction of fish
32. No person shall destroy fish by any means other than fishing except as authorized by the Minister or under regulations made by the Governor in Council under this Act.
R.S., c. F-14, s. 30; 1976-77, c. 35, s. 5.
Unlawful sale or possession
33. No person shall purchase, sell or possess any fish that has been caught in contravention of this Act or the regulations.
R.S., 1985, c. F-14, s. 33; 1991, c. 1, s. 8.
FISH HABITAT PROTECTION AND POLLUTION PREVENTION
Definitions
34. (1) For the purposes of sections 35 to 43,
"deleterious substance" «substance nocive»
"deleterious substance" means
(a) any substance that, if added to any water, would degrade or alter or form part of a process of degradation or alteration of the quality of that water so that it is rendered or is likely to be rendered deleterious to fish or fish habitat or to the use by man of fish that frequent that water, or
(b) any water that contains a substance in such quantity or concentration, or that has been so treated, processed or changed, by heat or other means, from a natural state that it would, if added to any other water, degrade or alter or form part of a process of degradation or alteration of the quality of that water so that it is rendered or is likely to be rendered deleterious to fish or fish habitat or to the use by man of fish that frequent that water,
and without limiting the generality of the foregoing includes
(c) any substance or class of substances prescribed pursuant to paragraph (2)(a),
(d) any water that contains any substance or class of substances in a quantity or concentration that is equal to or in excess of a quantity or concentration prescribed in respect of that substance or class of substances pursuant to paragraph (2)(b), and
(e) any water that has been subjected to a treatment, process or change prescribed pursuant to paragraph (2)(c);
"deposit" «immersion» ou «rejet»
"deposit" means any discharging, spraying, releasing, spilling, leaking, seeping, pouring, emitting, emptying, throwing, dumping or placing;
"fish habitat" «habitat du poisson»
"fish habitat" means spawning grounds and nursery, rearing, food supply and migration areas on which fish depend directly or indirectly in order to carry out their life processes;
"water frequented by fish" «eaux où vivent des poissons»
"water frequented by fish" means Canadian fisheries waters.
Regulations for purpose of definition "deleterious substance"
(2) The Governor in Council may make regulations prescribing
(a) substances and classes of substances,
(b) quantities or concentrations of substances and classes of substances in water, and
(c) treatments, processes and changes of water
for the purpose of paragraphs (c) to (e) of the definition "deleterious substance" in subsection (1).
R.S., c. F-14, s. 31; R.S., c. 17(1st Supp.), ss. 2, 3; 1976-77, c. 35, ss. 5, 7.
Harmful alteration, etc., of fish habitat
35. (1) No person shall carry on any work or undertaking that results in the harmful alteration, disruption or destruction of fish habitat.
Alteration, etc., authorized
(2) No person contravenes subsection (1) by causing the alteration, disruption or destruction of fish habitat by any means or under any conditions authorized by the Minister or under regulations made by the Governor in Council under this Act.
R.S., c. F-14, s. 31; R.S., c. 17(1st Supp.), s. 2; 1976-77, c. 35, s. 5.
Throwing overboard of certain substances prohibited
36. (1) No one shall
(a) throw overboard ballast, coal ashes, stones or other prejudicial or deleterious substances in any river, harbour or roadstead, or in any water where fishing is carried on;
(b) leave or deposit or cause to be thrown, left or deposited, on the shore, beach or bank of any water or on the beach between high and low water mark, remains or offal of fish or of marine animals; or
(c) leave decayed or decaying fish in any net or other fishing apparatus.
Disposal of remains, etc.
(2) Remains or offal described in subsection (1) may be buried ashore, above high water mark.
Deposit of deleterious substance prohibited
(3) Subject to subsection (4), no person shall deposit or permit the deposit of a deleterious substance of any type in water frequented by fish or in any place under any conditions where the deleterious substance or any other deleterious substance that results from the deposit of the deleterious substance may enter any such water.
Deposits authorized by regulation
(4) No person contravenes subsection (3) by depositing or permitting the deposit in any water or place of
(a) waste or pollutant of a type, in a quantity and under conditions authorized by regulations applicable to that water or place made by the Governor in Council under any Act other than this Act; or
(b) a deleterious substance of a class, in a quantity or concentration and under conditions authorized by or pursuant to regulations applicable to that water or place or to any work or undertaking or class thereof, made by the Governor in Council under subsection (5).
Regulations for authorizing certain deposits
(5) The Governor in Council may make regulations for the purpose of paragraph (4)(b) prescribing
(a) the deleterious substances or classes thereof authorized to be deposited notwithstanding subsection (3);
(b) the waters or places or classes thereof where any deleterious substances or classes thereof referred to in paragraph (a) are authorized to be deposited;
(c) the works or undertakings or classes thereof in the course or conduct of which any deleterious substances or classes thereof referred to in paragraph (a) are authorized to be deposited;
(d) the quantities or concentrations of any deleterious substances or classes thereof referred to in paragraph (a) that are authorized to be deposited;
(e) the conditions or circumstances under which and the requirements subject to which any deleterious substances or classes thereof referred to in paragraph (a) or any quantities or concentrations of those deleterious substances or classes thereof are authorized to be deposited in any waters or places or classes thereof referred to in paragraph (b) or in the course or conduct of any works or undertakings or classes thereof referred to in paragraph (c); and
(f) the persons who may authorize the deposit of any deleterious substances or classes thereof in the absence of any other authority, and the conditions or circumstances under which and requirements subject to which those persons may grant the authorization.
Directions by the Minister
(6) A person authorized to deposit a deleterious substance by or under regulations made pursuant to subsection (5) shall, when directed in writing by the Minister, notwithstanding any regulations made pursuant to paragraph (5)(e) or any conditions set out in an authorization made pursuant to paragraph (5)(f), conduct such sampling, analyses, tests, measurements or monitoring, install or operate such equipment or comply with such procedures, and report such information, as may be required by the Minister in order to determine whether the person is depositing the deleterious substance in the manner authorized.
R.S., c. F-14, s. 33; R.S., c. 17(1st Supp.), s. 3; 1976-77, c. 35, s. 7; 1984, c. 40, s. 29.
Minister may require plans and specifications
37. (1) Where a person carries on or proposes to carry on any work or undertaking that results or is likely to result in the alteration, disruption or destruction of fish habitat, or in the deposit of a deleterious substance in water frequented by fish or in any place under any conditions where that deleterious substance or any other deleterious substance that results from the deposit of that deleterious substance may enter any such waters, the person shall, on the request of the Minister or without request in the manner and circumstances prescribed by regulations made under paragraph (3)(a), provide the Minister with such plans, specifications, studies, procedures, schedules, analyses, samples or other information relating to the work or undertaking and with such analyses, samples, evaluations, studies or other information relating to the water, place or fish habitat that is or is likely to be affected by the work or undertaking as will enable the Minister to determine
(a) whether the work or undertaking results or is likely to result in any alteration, disruption or destruction of fish habitat that constitutes or would constitute an offence under subsection 40(1) and what measures, if any, would prevent that result or mitigate the effects thereof; or
(b) whether there is or is likely to be a deposit of a deleterious substance by reason of the work or undertaking that constitutes or would constitute an offence under subsection 40(2) and what measures, if any, would prevent that deposit or mitigate the effects thereof.
Powers of Minister
(2) If, after reviewing any material or information provided under subsection (1) and affording the persons who provided it a reasonable opportunity to make representations, the Minister or a person designated by the Minister is of the opinion that an offence under subsection 40(1) or (2) is being or is likely to be committed, the Minister or a person designated by the Minister may, by order, subject to regulations made pursuant to paragraph (3)(b), or, if there are no such regulations in force, with the approval of the Governor in Council,
(a) require such modifications or additions to the work or undertaking or such modifications to any plans, specifications, procedures or schedules relating thereto as the Minister or a person designated by the Minister considers necessary in the circumstances, or
(b) restrict the operation of the work or undertaking,
and, with the approval of the Governor in Council in any case, direct the closing of the work or undertaking for such period as the Minister or a person designated by the Minister considers necessary in the circumstances.
Regulations
(3) The Governor in Council may make regulations
(a) prescribing the manner and circumstances in which any information or material shall be provided to the Minister without request under subsection (1); and
(b) prescribing the manner and circumstances in which the Minister or a person designated by the Minister may make orders under subsection (2) and the terms of the orders.
Consultation with provinces
(4) Where the Minister or a person designated by the Minister proposes to make an order pursuant to subsection (2), he shall offer to consult with the governments of any provinces that he considers to be interested in the proposed order and with any departments or agencies of the Government of Canada that he considers appropriate.
Exception
(5) Nothing in subsection (4) prevents the Minister or a person designated by the Minister from making an interim order pursuant to subsection (2) without the offer of consultation referred to in subsection (4) where he considers that immediate action is necessary.
R.S., c. 17(1st Supp.), s. 3; 1976-77, c. 35, s. 8.
Inspectors and analysts
38. (1) For the purposes of this section, the Minister may designate as an inspector or analyst any person who, in the opinion of the Minister, is qualified to be so designated.
Certificate to be produced
(2) The Minister shall furnish every inspector with a certificate of his designation and on entering any place, premises, vehicle or vessel referred to in subsection (3) an inspector shall, if so required, produce the certificate to the person in charge thereof.
Powers of inspector
(3) An inspector may, at any reasonable time, enter any place, premises, vehicle or vessel, other than a private dwelling-place or any part of any place, premises, vehicle or vessel used as a permanent or temporary private dwelling-place, where the inspector believes on reasonable grounds that any work or undertaking resulting or likely to result in the deposit of a deleterious substance in water frequented by fish or in any place under any conditions referred to in subsection 37(1) is being, has been or is likely to be carried on, and the inspector may, for any purpose related to the enforcement of this section, conduct inspections, including examining any substance or product found therein, taking samples thereof and conducting tests and measurements.
Search
(3.1) An inspector with a warrant issued under subsection (3.2) may at any reasonable time enter any place, premises, vehicle or vessel, other than a private dwelling-place or any part of any place, premises, vehicle or vessel used as a permanent or temporary private dwelling-place, where the inspector believes on reasonable grounds that an offence under subsection 40(2) is being or has been committed and search that place, premises, vehicle or vessel for evidence of the offence.
Authority to issue warrant
(3.2) Where on ex parte application a justice of the peace is satisfied by information on oath that there are reasonable grounds to believe that there is in any place, premises, vehicle or vessel referred to in subsection (3.1)
(a) anything on or in respect of which an offence under subsection 40(2) is being or has been committed, or
(b) anything that there are reasonable grounds to believe will afford evidence with respect to the commission of an offence under subsection 40(2),
the justice of the peace may issue a warrant under his hand authorizing the inspector named therein to enter and search the place, premises, vehicle or vessel for any such thing subject to such conditions as may be specified in the warrant.
Use of force
(3.3) In executing a warrant issued under subsection (3.2), the inspector named therein shall not use force unless the inspector is accompanied by a peace officer and the use of force has been specifically authorized in the warrant.
Where warrant not necessary
(3.4) An inspector may exercise the powers of entry and search referred to in subsection (3.1) without a warrant issued under subsection (3.2) if the conditions for obtaining the warrant exist but by reason of exigent circumstances it would not be practical to obtain the warrant.
Exigent circumstances
(3.5) For the purposes of subsection (3.4), exigent circumstances include circumstances in which the delay necessary to obtain a warrant would result in danger to human life or safety or the loss or destruction of evidence.
Duty to report
(4) Where, out of the normal course of events, there occurs a deposit of a deleterious substance in water frequented by fish or a serious and imminent danger thereof by reason of any condition, and where any damage or danger to fish habitat or fish or the use by man of fish results or may reasonably be expected to result therefrom, any person who at any material time
(a) owns the deleterious substance or has the charge, management or control thereof, or
(b) causes or contributes to the causation of the deposit or danger thereof,
shall, in accordance with any regulations applicable thereto, report such occurrence to an inspector or such other person or authority as is prescribed by the regulations.
Duty to take all reasonable measures
(5) Every person referred to in paragraph (4)(a) or (b) shall, as soon as possible in the circumstances, take all reasonable measures consistent with safety and with the conservation of fish and fish habitat to prevent any occurrence referred to in subsection (4) or to counteract, mitigate or remedy any adverse effects that result or may reasonably be expected to result therefrom.
Power to take or direct remedial measures
(6) Where an inspector, whether or not a report has been made under subsection (4), is satisfied on reasonable grounds that there is an occurrence referred to in subsection (4) and that immediate action is necessary in order to carry out any reasonable measures referred to in subsection (5), he may, subject to subsection (7) and the regulations, take any such measures or direct that they be taken by any person referred to in paragraph (4)(a) or (b).
Inconsistent orders
(7) Any requirement or direction of an inspector under this section that is inconsistent with any requirement or order of a pollution prevention officer under the Canada Shipping Act is void to the extent of the inconsistency.
Access to property
(8) For the purposes of subsections (4) to (6), any inspector or other person may enter and have access through any place, premises, vehicle or vessel and may take all reasonable action in order to comply with those subsections or any of them, but nothing in this subsection relieves any person from liability at law for his illegal or negligent acts or omissions or for loss or damage caused to others by such entry, access or action.
Regulations
(9) The Governor in Council may make regulations prescribing
(a) the person or authority to whom or which a report is to be made under subsection (4), the manner in which the report is to be made, the information to be contained therein and the circumstances in which no report is required to be made;
(b) the manner in which inspectors may take any measures or give any directions under subsection (6) and the conditions to which such measures or directions are subject;
(c) the manner and circumstances in which any measures taken or directions given under subsection (6) may be reviewed, rescinded or varied; and
(d) any other matters necessary for or incidental to carrying out the purposes and provisions of this section.
Assistance to inspectors
(10) The owner or person in charge of any place, premises, vehicle or vessel entered by an inspector pursuant to subsection (3) and every person found therein shall give the inspector all reasonable assistance to enable the inspector to carry out his duties and functions under this section and shall furnish the inspector with such information with respect to the administration of this section as he may reasonably require.
Certificate of analyst as proof
(11) Subject to subsections (12) and (13), a certificate purporting to be signed by an analyst stating that he has analyzed or tested a substance or product and stating the result of his analysis or test is admissible in evidence in any prosecution for an offence under subsection 40(2) or (3) without proof of the signature or official character of the person appearing to have signed the certificate and, in the absence of any evidence to the contrary, is proof of the statements contained in the certificate.
Attendance of analyst
(12) The party against whom there is produced any certificate pursuant to subsection (11) may, with leave of the court, require the attendance of the analyst for the purposes of cross-examination.
Notice
(13) No certificate shall be admitted in evidence pursuant to subsection (11) unless the party intending to produce it has given to the party against whom it is intended to be produced reasonable notice of that intention together with a copy of the certificate in question.
R.S., 1985, c. F-14, s. 38; R.S., 1985, c. 31 (1st Supp.), s. 34.
39. [Repealed, 1991, c. 1, s. 9]
Offence and punishment
40. (1) Every person who contravenes subsection 35(1) is guilty of
(a) an offence punishable on summary conviction and liable, for a first offence, to a fine not exceeding three hundred thousand dollars and, for any subsequent offence, to a fine not exceeding three hundred thousand dollars or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding six months, or to both; or
(b) an indictable offence and liable, for a first offence, to a fine not exceeding one million dollars and, for any subsequent offence, to a fine not exceeding one million dollars or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding three years, or to both.
Idem
(2) Every person who contravenes subsection 36(1) or (3) is guilty of
(a) an offence punishable on summary conviction and liable, for a first offence, to a fine not exceeding three hundred thousand dollars and, for any subsequent offence, to a fine not exceeding three hundred thousand dollars or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding six months, or to both; or
(b) an indictable offence and liable, for a first offence, to a fine not exceeding one million dollars and, for any subsequent offence, to a fine not exceeding one million dollars or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding three years, or to both.
Other offences
(3) Every person who
(a) fails to provide the Minister with any material or information requested pursuant to subsection 37(1) within a reasonable time after the request is made,
(b) fails to provide or submit any material, information or report that is to be provided or submitted under regulations made pursuant to subsection 37(3),
(c) fails to make a report that he is required to make under subsection 38(4),
(d) carries on any work or undertaking described in subsection 37(1)
(i) otherwise than in accordance with any material or information relating to the work or undertaking that he provides to the Minister under subsection 37(1),
(ii) otherwise than in accordance with any such material or information as required to be modified by any order of the Minister under paragraph 37(2)(a), or
(iii) contrary to any order made by the Minister under subsection 37(2),
(e) fails to take any reasonable measures that he is required to take under subsection 38(5) or fails to take such measures in the required manner, or
(f) fails to comply with the whole or any part of a direction of an inspector under subsection 38(6),
(g) [Repealed, 1991, c. 1, s. 10]
is guilty of an offence punishable on summary conviction and liable, for a first offence, to a fine not exceeding two hundred thousand dollars and, for any subsequent offence, to a fine not exceeding two hundred thousand dollars or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding six months, or to both.
(4) [Repealed, 1991, c. 1, s. 10]
Matters of proof
(5) For the purpose of any proceedings for an offence under subsection (2) or (3),
(a) a "deposit" as defined in subsection 34(1) takes place whether or not any act or omission resulting in the deposit is intentional; and
(b) no water is "water frequented by fish", as defined in subsection 34(1), where proof is made that at all times material to the proceedings the water is not, has not been and is not likely to be frequented in fact by fish.
R.S., 1985, c. F-14, s. 40; 1991, c. 1, s. 10.
41. (1) to (3) [Repealed, 1991, c. 1, s. 11]
Action to enjoin not prejudiced by prosecution
(4) Notwithstanding that a prosecution has been instituted in respect of an offence under section 40, the Attorney General of Canada may commence and maintain proceedings to enjoin anything punishable as an offence under that section.
R.S., 1985, c. F-14, s. 41; 1991, c. 1, s. 11.
Civil liability to Her Majesty
42. (1) Where there occurs a deposit of a deleterious substance in water frequented by fish that is not authorized under section 36 or a serious and imminent danger thereof by reason of any condition, the persons who at any material time
(a) own the deleterious substance or have the charge, management or control thereof, or
(b) are persons other than those described in paragraph (a) who cause or contribute to the causation of the deposit or danger thereof,
are, subject to subsection (4) in the case of the persons referred to in paragraph (a) and to the extent determined according to their respective degrees of fault or negligence in the case of the persons referred to in paragraph (b), jointly and severally liable for all costs and expenses incurred by Her Majesty in right of Canada or a province, to the extent that those costs and expenses can be established to have been reasonably incurred in the circumstances, of and incidental to the taking of any measures to prevent any such deposit or condition or to counteract, mitigate or remedy any adverse effects that result or may reasonably be expected to result therefrom.
Recovery
(2) All the costs and expenses referred to in subsection (1) are recoverable by Her Majesty in right of Canada or a province with costs in proceedings brought or taken therefor in the name of Her Majesty in any such right in any court of competent jurisdiction.
Liability to fishermen
(3) Where, as a result of a deposit that is not authorized under section 36, a deleterious substance enters water frequented by fish, the persons described in paragraphs (1)(a) and (b) are, subject to subsection (4) in the case of the persons described in paragraph (1)(a) and to the extent determined according to their respective degrees of fault or negligence in the case of the persons described in paragraph (1)(b), jointly and severally liable for all loss of income incurred by any licensed commercial fisherman, to the extent that the loss can be established to have been incurred as a result of the deposit or of a prohibition to fish resulting therefrom, and all such loss is recoverable with costs in proceedings brought or taken therefor in any court of competent jurisdiction.
Defences to liability
(4) The liability of any person described in paragraph (1)(a) is absolute and does not depend on proof of fault or negligence but no such person is liable for any costs and expenses pursuant to subsection (1) or loss of income pursuant to subsection (3) if he establishes that the occurrence giving rise to the liability was wholly caused by
(a) an act of war, hostilities, civil war, insurrection or a natural phenomenon of an exceptional, inevitable and irresistible character; or
(b) an act or omission with intent to cause damage by a person other than a person for whose wrongful act or omission he is by law responsible.
Exception
(5) Nothing in this section limits or restricts any right of recourse that any person who is liable pursuant to this section may have against any other person.
Limitation
(6) No proceedings may be commenced under subsections (1) to (3) at any time later than two years after the occurrence to which the proceedings relate could reasonably be expected to have become known to Her Majesty in right of Canada or a province or to any licensed commercial fisherman, as the case may be.
Exception
(7) Subsections (1) to (3) do not apply in respect of any deposit of a deleterious substance that, within the meaning of Part XV of the Canada Shipping Act, constitutes a discharge of a pollutant caused by or otherwise attributable to a ship.
Other civil remedies not affected
(8) No civil remedy for any act or omission is suspended or affected by reason only that the act or omission is authorized under this Act, is an offence under this Act or gives rise to civil liability under this Act.
R.S., c. 17(1st Supp.), s. 3; 1976-77, c. 35, s. 7.
Annual report
42.1 (1) The Minister shall, as soon as possible after the end of each fiscal year, prepare and cause to be laid before Parliament a report on the administration and enforcement of the provisions of this Act relating to fish habitat protection and pollution prevention for that year.
Statistical summary
(2) The annual report shall include a statistical summary of convictions under section 40 for that year.
1991, c. 1, s. 11.1.