Profile: Brent Watkins

Day or night, Brent Watkins safeguards Canada’s natural riches

To conserve and protect

“My job is challenging but very exciting,” says Brent Watkins, a Conservation and Protection supervisor for Fisheries and Oceans Canada.

Brent’s job involves patrolling Canada’s waters off the Newfoundland and Labrador coast, supervising fishery officers, educating youth about conservation, and battling environmental offenders in court.

“We protect resources that have high recreational and economic value in our country,” he says. “Often many of the decisions made by government are directly related to what they hear from us. When those decisions are made, it becomes my job to ensure we are following through on the promises made to Canadians.”

Night raid against poachers

In Brent’s 10 years in the Public Service, he’s had some exciting encounters. His most memorable moment took place during the 2004 lobster season:

The lobster harvesters who fish in the Bay of Islands off Cox’s Cove in Newfoundland and Labrador always have to contend with poachers who steal their very livelihood.

Often poachers rendezvous at a point just down the shore from the community of Cox’s Cove to offload illegal catch. On that particular night two other fishery officers and I were in the area on patrol.

After directing the other two officers to a common landing site, I started my trek to within 30–40 feet of the beach.

I heard some activity down on the beach. Putting on my night vision goggles, I could see two individuals approaching, carrying buckets. I started down the incline and descended into darkness with slippery shale rock beneath my feet.

With my night vision goggles I could pick out the poachers’ shapes as they continued to drag the five gallon buckets down the beach.

I was within 20 feet of them when they finally heard my steps. I still remember that conversation:

‘Who’s there?’ asked the poachers.
‘Me!’ I responded.
‘Me, who?’ they asked.
‘Me, the fishery officer,’ and I turned on my high-powered light and ran to catch them.

The poachers’ buckets were brimming with lobster, and many of them undersized as well!

While Brent enjoys the excitement of his job, he is most proud of who he works for. “You are there to service the needs of Canadians,” he says.

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