On August 6 and 7, 2022, members of the Richibucto RCMP, the New Brunswick Justice and Public Safety Department, and the Quebec RCMP Marine Security Enforcement Team conducted a joint inland water patrol in the Miramichi Inner Bay and the Richibucto River area.
During the patrol, officers stopped 128 boats to ensure everyone was operating their vessels safely and had the necessary safety equipment aboard. Eleven tickets and 49 warnings were issued under the Small Vessel Regulations Act for not having the appropriate documentation or safety equipment, such as Personal Flotation Devices, sound-signaling devices and buoyant heaving lines. Officers also conducted 11 breath test demands by an Approved Screening Device, indicating there were no impaired boat operators on the water. In addition, officers handed out six positive tickets to youth boaters who were wearing their Personal Flotation Device (PFD).
The New Brunswick RCMP would like to remind everyone to ensure boats are equipped with all the required and up-to-date safety equipment, and that operating a boat or personal watercraft while impaired carries the same fines and penalties as impaired driving on the roads. If you see any suspicious activity or suspect an impaired operator, please contact your local police detachment or 911.