By Max Thaysen
The Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) has recovered over 1,000 oysters that were harvested illegally on Cortes Island.
On Oct. 29, based on information received from the public on Cortes Island, DFO stopped and inspected two vehicles as they disembarked from the BC Ferry in Campbell River.
The DFO enforcement officers found more than 1,000 oysters in one of the vehicles. The person in possession of the oysters had a recreational fishing license, which limits oyster possession to 24 per person (the daily harvest limit is 12).
The person was fined the maximum for such an infraction: $1,200.
The other driver who was investigated admitted to having been part of the harvest, despite not having any oysters in his possession. And since he didn’t have a recreational fishing license, they were fined for fishing without a license, which carries a financial penalty of $100.
Fishery officer, Greg Askey, was contacted by Cortes Currents. He said that, had this been an illegal commercial harvest, the fines would have been much more. Commercial infractions can get $100,000 fine and/or be sentenced to five years in prison.
Box of oysters by pangeashellfish via Flickr (CC BY SA, 2.0 License)
Askey said that the two individuals were from the lower mainland and had been staying on Cortes.
According to Askey, enforcement actions in an area can lead to increased observation of that area and, consequently, more enforcement. He reminds shellfish harvesters to get a license, and know the limits.
Askey said that there is no mechanism for recreational fishers to harvest a larger amount for storage or preservation, or for sharing with a large family or community.
Returned to the sea
The confiscated oysters were returned to the sea, but to an area that is permanently closed to harvesting. The DFO doesn’t know how the oysters were treated, so they can’t go back to places where people may harvest them again and potentially get ill. Conveniently, all the shoreline around Campbell River are permanently closed due to contamination concerns.
Arriving at the BC Ferries berth in Campbell River. Photo by Roy L Hales.
Links of Interest
- (Cortes Currents) The humble Cortes Island shellfish farmer
- (Cortes Currents) articles about, or mentioning, Cortes Island Aquaculture
- (CTV News) DFO says dangerous practice of illegally harvesting shellfish on the rise
- (Cortes Currents) Stop recreational boaters from polluting Cortes Island’s protected areas
- (Cortes Currents) Early warning system for farmed oysters
- (Cortes Island Oysters.ca) A History of Cortes Island Shellfish
- (Cortes Currents) The 1960s and 70s – A time of Transition