Three men and a woman, all from View Royal, have been charged with various fisheries offences after they were caught with 125 live crabs in Sooke, 124 of which were illegal. While the crabs escaped the traps, the four face potentially thousands of dollars in fines and up to six months in jail.
B次元官网网址淚t should be a substantial deterrence,B次元官网网址� said federal fisheries officer Roy Osselton. He hopes that as this story gets more attention, it will also deter those not aware of the punishments for harvesting crabs illegally.
B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檇 like to get the word out,B次元官网网址� he said, adding the regulations are in place to ensure the sustainability of crab in the region.
Osselton noted that illegal crabbing practices are prevalent, but when the fishing is good, he said, so is compliance. When itB次元官网网址檚 not, some people are tempted to take undersized or female crabs, both of which are not legal to keep.
ItB次元官网网址檚 not just fishery officers that are on the lookout for fishing offences. The charges mentioned above resulted after a Sooke RCMP officer was patrolling the area around the Sooke Rotary Pier at 1:15 a.m. on July 2. Upon seeing the officer, the three men attempted to flee the area and threw their crabbing gear into the bushes. They were located a short distance away with buckets filled with crabs. In total, they had 125 live crabs in their possession and in a nearby vehicle, which was also occupied by the wife of one of the men.
Of the crabs, 124 were undersized and 110 were female.
According to Fisheries and Oceans Canada, all female dungeness or red rock crabs B次元官网网址� regardless of size B次元官网网址� must be immediately returned to the water in the least harmful way possible. All crabs must be measured immediately and undersized crabs must also be returned without delay. To harvest crabs, residents must possess a valid Tidal Waters Sport Fishing Licence, which allows the holder to keep four crabs per day.
B次元官网网址淲e have two choices, we can issue tickets in the field or appearance notices,B次元官网网址� Osselton said. However, he noted keeping female crabs is a relatively new charge that is accompanied by a mandatory appearance notice, so in this case, there was no choice.
The View Royal men, in their 40B次元官网网址檚 and 60B次元官网网址檚, along with the 43-year-old woman, have their first appearance scheduled for Oct. 13.
It will be up to a judge how the fines are broken down and whether jail time will be served.
Each offence is accompanied by a $100 fine plus an additional $50 per crab, up to $1,000. But as Osselton noted, the same crab can be the subject of multiple offences.
B次元官网网址淲hen youB次元官网网址檙e looking at 125 crabs and 124 are illegal, youB次元官网网址檙e looking at a lot of fines.B次元官网网址� He predicted each offender will be facing between $3,000 to $6,000 in fines, but as he noted, B次元官网网址渋tB次元官网网址檚 up to the judge to set.B次元官网网址�
Fines arenB次元官网网址檛 the only punishment offenders can receive, he said. B次元官网网址淵ou can get up to six months in jail if the judge feels itB次元官网网址檚 necessary.B次元官网网址� Although, in this case, he expected that fines will be the only consequence.
As for the area they were fishing in, Osselton said, B次元官网网址渨eB次元官网网址檙e working in partnership with the Sooke RCMP to provide as much coverage as we can.B次元官网网址�
The crabs were returned to the ocean and are expected to make a full recovery after their late-night ordeal.
To report suspicious fishing activity or habitat violations, Fisheries and Oceans Canada asks the public to call their 24-hour, toll-free line at 1-800-465-4336.
katie@goldstreamgazette.com
