In considering the public interest in prosecuting a violation of the Fisheries Act, we would consider a variety of factors that include the harm to the community. I'm saying community, but it could be the harm to the environment or the impact an alleged offence has had on the environment. Sometimes it is small; sometimes it is significant, and that plays a role in our assessment. This is, of course, not to say that where it is small, a prosecution is not in the public interest. It is one of many factors we take into consideration. We also consider whether the prosecution of an offence would maintain public confidence in the regulatory regime.
