Tracy Dodds, owner of derelict Farley Mowat, arrested

The owner of the derelict anti-sealing vessel MV Farley Mowat has been arrested for contempt of court.

Scrap dealer Tracy Dodds, of Wolfville, N.S., will serve 20 days in jail for defying court orders to remove the ship from Shelburne Harbour.

• Arrest warrant sought for Tracy Dodds, owner of derelict MV Farley Mowat
• MV Farley Mowat owner risks jail by ignoring court order to move ship

"I can confirm he was arrested yesterday between 12:30 and 1:00[p.m.]at a residence in Wolfville," said RCMP spokeswomanCpl. Jennifer Clarke.

Farley Mowat has been languishing next to the wharf in Shelburne since September of 2014.

In May, federal court Justice Anne Mactavish found Dodds in contempt of court for failing to obey three court orders to remove the vessel from the port.

In 20 years of policing I certainly haven't seen anything like this.- Cpl. Jennifer Clarke

She ordered Dodds to serve 20 days in jail, pay a $5,000 penalty to the Town of Shelburne and a further $5,000 fine.

Those punishments came into effect on May 31, but no action was taken until Wednesday.

If Dodds tows the ship away in the future, he could still apply to have the contempt order vacated.

Jail a rarity

A jail sentence for contempt of court is a rarity in Nova Scotia.

"In 20 years of policing I certainly haven't seen anything like this," said Clarke.

Dylan Heide, the chief administrative officer of Shelburne, previously told CBC News the continued presence of Farley Mowat has forced the town to turn away fishing boats that were willing to pay for the wharf space.

Heide said Dodds owes more than $45,000 in unpaid berthing fees, money which the town will attempt to recover.

The Farley Mowat sank at the wharf in June of 2015.

$815K to raise

The Canadian Coast Guard hired contractors to raise the vessel. Itcost approximately$815,000 torefloatFarleyMowat, and torecover and dispose of contamination from fuel and oil on the ship, Fisheries and Oceans Canadaspokesman Stephen Bornais saidThursday.

CBC News has found Dodds owns severalderelict vessels alongNova Scotia's coastline.

Dodds has so far refused to comment on which vessels he owns, or his plans for the Farley Mowat.