‘Remove him far from the sea:’ rogue Gabriola Island fishermen jailed for repeated violations

Steer’s wife, Melissa Dawn Larocque, was also heavily fined as the sole representative of the numbered company, 1215419 B.C. LTD, tied to the operation, with Crerar stating she “was fully involved in this deceptive and invasive plan.”

Charges against Steer included fishing without a license, fishing out of season, and numerous violations of Steer’s prohibition from owning fishing gear in relation to multiple instances in 2019 and 2020.

An enhanced lifetime fishing ban with stronger restrictions was imposed on Steer, including not being in possession of any fish, except fish under two kilograms, for personal consumption only.

The same prohibitions were applied to the numbered company for life, and on Laroque for a period of ten years, and the forfeiture of all offence-related property, save for two of Larocque’s cell phones.

Larocque was charged along with Steer in one incident for fishing sea cucumbers without a licence, falsifying records, and in violation of a fishing ban imposed on Steer, as it was evident he knew about his wife’s activity, according to Crerar.

The Crown pushed for a seven-year jail sentence against Steer, a reaffirmed lifetime fishing ban with more clearly prohibited conduct, over $1.5 million in fines between the two, and forfeiture of offence-related property.

A jail sentence of between 18 to 24 months for Steer was suggested by the defence, along with a $500,000 fine against the numbered company.

Facts of the case
At the time of these most recent offences, Steer was banned from owning fishing gear, applying for a fishing license, or even being on board any fishing vessel until 2038, originally stemming from the 2016 court order.

Crerar called Steer’s criminal history “the longest record of fisheries act violations in Canadian history,” with 34 convictions in 13 prior cases, dating back to 2008, as well as previous violations which didn’t result in criminal charges being laid.

According to court documents, between September and December 2019, the numbered company sold nearly 87,400 pounds of sea cucumbers to a legitimate business, which primarily shipped them overseas using falsified records, with over $1 million being transferred to the numbered company.

Documentation was forged to give the appearance the sea cucumbers were legally harvested.

Crerar said the Crown presented “compelling evidence” they were still involved in the harvest and sale of sea cucumbers while this trial was ongoing.

He said the post-charge misconduct spoke to the Steer’s lack of remorse for their wrongdoing or any attempts to change their ways.

Crerar said court documents showed the Steer’s lived in a “large, luxuriant, and beautiful Gabriola Island home”, with a 2025 assessed value of $924,000, and were able to pay for counsel for both Steer and the numbered company, even though both defences were “generally indistinguishable and complementary” during trial.

The fine received was proportional to the amount of money reportedly received through the illegal sales, totalling $1,105,718, with the couple given 20 years to pay it.

It also includes reimbursement of a crew member employed by Steer and originally from Mexico, who was denied wages while unknowingly taking part in one of the illegal fishing exhibitions.

“The offenders’ deliberate and multifarious deception and dishonesty, and their brazen exploitation of finite marine resources, in direct contravention of multiple court orders, all in the context of Mr. Steer’s long record, must be met with significant penalties for meaningful deterrence and denunciation.”

Neither Steer or Larocque addressed the court.

The seized trailer and vehicle evidence presented during the trial. The vessel was previously forfeited and disposed of, according to DFO. (DFO)

Sentencing arguments and multiple delays
The court process of the Steer’s was delayed multiple times for a myriad of reasons.

During sentencing arguments, which began on Wednesday, July 23, Steer’s defence attempted an 11 (b) application, arguing they had not had the right to trial within a reasonable time after being charged, in an attempt to have the charges thrown out.

It was swiftly rebuked by Crerar after Crown prosecutor Josh Cramer detailed how much of the delays in the court proceedings, which spanned 46 months, were caused by the defence.

“Mr. Steer is himself to blame for the length of his time on bail. The offenders have dragged and delayed at every step of these present proceedings through multiple changes of counsel, multiple requests for adjournment, and serial non-compliance with court directions and deadlines,” Crerar said during his ruling.

This trial was originally scheduled to take place in September 2022, then in July 2023, but both times were adjourned due to defence delay.

Crerar was prepared to read his judgment on Friday, but the Steer’s were late attending court, citing an undisclosed medical issue.

They arrived around half an hour after their scheduled time with their five young children in tow.

Tensions remained high in the Nanaimo courthouse, with multiple uniformed Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) officers also in attendance, with Scott seated in the prisoner’s box with his wife sitting in the gallery behind him.

While Crerar was handing down his sentence, Larocque frequently shook her head ‘no’ whenever her connection to the numbered company was mentioned.

However, she nodded in agreement when Justice Crerar said Steer saw lesser jail sentences as a joke, as he referenced text messages between Steer and an associate where they mocked another illegal fisherman who took a plea deal.

“He would have been better to do 60 days in jail, but on weekends…Sit for 48 hours and get credit for three days while watching TV in your own room.”

Crerar said Steer considered himself “unbounded by the laws”, and a long-term jail sentence was not only appropriate, but necessary.

“His deliberate deception in illegal fishing shows contempt for the fragile, finite marine resources and ecosystems. The only way to stop Mr. Steer from ravaging the ocean and flouting the law and court orders is to remove him far from the sea for a long period of time.”

Justice Crerar’s entire sentencing decision for this case can be found here at the BC Courts website.

Scott Steer has a long history of fisheries violations on B.C’s south coast. (Nanaimo RCMP)

Repeated violations
Steer had received several, shorter jail sentences and a lifetime fishing ban, long before these current charges were laid.

He’s been described by judges as having a callous disregard for fishing regulations and the natural habitat, as well as court proceedings and the criminal justice system in general.

After multiple past fines, Steer was convicted in 2013 following a lengthy trial, for landing fish without a license and defrauding crew members and the vessel owner.

Court records showed Steer was fishing at night and didn’t validate his catches, bringing in more than legally allowed, defrauding the crew and boat owner of over $50,000.

For this, he was given a ten-year fishing ban, a six-month jail term, and ordered to pay $15,000 in restitutions, with the sentencing judge at the time calling Steer “a threat to the health of the fishery” and “a dishonest man.”

Steer appealed the decision, ultimately unsuccessfully, while evading arrest for eight months before being caught while in possession of a fishing vessel.

He was ultimately found in September 2013 when he was caught fishing in a closed area and without a licence, catching 1,000 pounds of crab at night in the Vancouver Harbour.

While his catch was seized, Steer’s council sent a falsified letter to DFO officers claiming an Indigenous group had caught the crabs legally, demanding their return.

Crerar said he would try to use Indigenous crew members in a similar way to “shield Mr. Steer’s illegal fishing activity.”

“Callous disregard for the fishery, and held that quota as a breach of the rules and regulations, has been to solely benefit himself financially, to the disadvantage of the natural resource, and other fishers who apply with the rules,” Crerar said.

Steer was convicted following a trial in 2015, filed a successful appeal, but was retried and convicted again in 2017 and given a four-month jail sentence.

During the sentencing hearing, his wife Melissa provided a letter of support, saying her husband’s conduct was “uncharacteristic” and he regretted his actions while pleading for leniency, with Steer himself claiming he was rehabilitated and deterred from his prior time behind bars.

Despite claims by defence in previous trials Steer was ready to turn his life around and retrain as a pilot, charges and violations kept racking up.

In early 2016, Steer received two separate 21-day jail sentences for breaching court orders, including one where he was found hiding in the hull of a vessel by DFO officers.

A third jail stint the same year, this time 45 days, came after Steer caught on a vessel with fishing gear, with the sentencing judge once again reminding Steer about repeated violations would bring longer jail sentences.

“You’re 38, you do not want to find yourself in your 40s and 50s going in and out of jail. What will your kids do? What will your spouse do? What will you do when you get out? So I want you to think very carefully about that.”

Months later, Steer was given another 60 days in jail and his fishing prohibition was extended to 17 years after being caught hitching a truck to a trailer containing a fishing vessel with gear on board.

He also had a business interest in another fishing vessel, used to catch 2,100 kilograms of prawns.

During sentencing, Steer once said he was turning over a new leaf and asked for an exception for permission to participate in dive fishing, which was denied.

However, despite the court’s rejection, Steer began going on dive fishing exhibitions, which eventually led to the current convictions.

Steer received an 80-day jail sentence in 2016 related to an incident two years prior where he was again found in possession of fishing gear, with his fishing prohibition extended to 22 years, and a warning from the sitting justice the next jail sentences would likely be longer.

It was eventually upgraded to a lifetime ban on fishing, following a high-speed pursuit in the Vancouver Harbour in March 2020, along with a six-month jail sentence.

Justice Crerar said it was through the investigation of these offences which led to the current charges against Steer and his wife.

In June 2021, a notice of civil claim was filed against Steer in the B.C. Supreme Court by the province, seeking his Gabriola Island home and more than $1.3 million in cash in a Civil Forfeiture Order.

Earlier this month, both Steer and Larocque were found guilty in a Nanaimo provincial court for failure to provide information to a fisheries officer, with sentencing set for September.

Anyone with information on any illegal fishing activities is asked to call Fisheries and Oceans Canada toll-free at 1-800-465-4336 or email them at: DFO.ORR-ONS.MPO@dfo-mpo.gc.ca

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by Jordan Davidson

‘Remove him far from the sea:’ rogue Gabriola Island fishermen jailed for repeated violations

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