(There is some offensive language in this video. Viewer discretion is advised.)
A video of a Sooke resident explaining crab fishing rules to individuals who were reportedly catching illegal crabs has gone viral.
Dylan Heal was at the Rotary Pier in Sooke on the weekend with his family when he noticed two groups of people who were not measuring their crabs.
Heal explained to the first group that they need a measuring tool B次元官网网址� a crab caliper B次元官网网址� to ensure they are not taking crabs that are too small out of the water. He said they thanked him for the information, tossed their crabs back in and left.
About 10 minutes later, Heal approached the second group which was when his sister started filming the encounter.
In the video B次元官网网址� which is on Facebook with 64,000 views B次元官网网址� Heal is seen asking a woman and another male if they have a measuring tool for the crabs. He shows them how to measure the crabs and tells them the ones they are keeping are too small.
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The woman gets confrontational in the video, demanding to see HealB次元官网网址檚 license after he asks to see her fishing license. In total, Heal and the woman toss 12 crabs back into the water.
B次元官网网址淢y intention was to try and educate people and explain to them you canB次元官网网址檛 be down here unless you know what youB次元官网网址檙e doing,B次元官网网址� Heal said.
Mandy Ludlow, a fishery officer and detachment supervisor with the Department of Fisheries and Oceans, said the main tool for managing crab stocks in B.C. is through size limits. Dungeness crabs must be 165 mm or larger to be kept.
B次元官网网址淭hatB次元官网网址檚 because the males at that size have been sexually producing for up to one year or longer,B次元官网网址� Ludlow said.
Female crabs cannot be retained at all because that would impact spawning and population.
Additionally, individuals are allowed to keep four crabs each. That meant the people in video were four crabs over their limit.
Heal said he goes to dock every few weekends and has been going there since he was young. He began to educate people about regulations when he was a child and still does so often.
B次元官网网址淯nfortunately it happens on a daily basis and itB次元官网网址檚 not patrolled enough,B次元官网网址� Heal said. B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 not trying to take the law into my own hands but IB次元官网网址檓 trying to provide people with the means to show me that theyB次元官网网址檙e doing the right thing.B次元官网网址�
READ MORE: Hefty fines are a warning to those illegally harvesting crabs
Ludlow said the first time someone is found in possession with an undersized crab, they are fined $150. Each additional crab they are retaining at the time is a charge of $50 up to a fine of $1,000. After that, the individual must appear in court.
Those that retain female crabs must appear in court because it is a condition of their fishing license.
B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 important to keep these regulations so we have crab for the future,B次元官网网址� Ludlow said. B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 so we have a successful species that is available for our children and grandchildren.B次元官网网址�
Heal said he is very happy his sister shot the video and that it is receiving so much traction because things like this happen all the time.
B次元官网网址淧eople need to know whatB次元官网网址檚 going on in their waters,B次元官网网址� Heal said.
He thinks if a person is able to buy traps and bait but not have a measuring tool or license, they should not be at the docks.
B次元官网网址淧eople who are going to come and crab in local waters like that need to know the regulations and rules before they step foot on the dock,B次元官网网址� Heal said.
shalu.mehta@goldstreamgazette.com
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