Fines totalling $19,000 were imposed after Fisheries and Oceans Canada officers found people harvesting shellfish from a contaminated, closed area on Vancouver Island.
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Five people were fined a combined $19,000 after shellfish harvesting was carried out from an area on Vancouver Island that was closed under the Canadian Shellfish Sanitation Program, Fisheries and Oceans Canada said.
The department said its officers were patrolling in late June when they encountered people harvesting shellfish from near Campbell River, B.C., within the closed zone.
Fisheries and Oceans Canada warned that shellfish taken from closed areas can contain contaminants such as bacteria, viruses or biotoxins that are not visible, creating risks to public health that can range from illness to death.
The department said harvesting from restricted areas also undermines sustainable fisheries and disadvantages harvesters who comply with sanitation and harvesting requirements.
Along with the fines, three of the individuals were convicted of licence violations, and one person was convicted of providing a false statement to a fishery officer, according to the enforcement details released by the department.
Officers seized more than 130 Pacific oysters and some mussels and Manila clams as part of the enforcement action, and Fisheries and Oceans Canada said all live shellfish were returned to the harvest site.
The situation highlights the enforcement role played by the sanitation program closures, which are intended to reduce exposure to contaminated seafood by controlling where harvesting is permitted.
For communities and consumers on Vancouver Island, the case underscores the practical importance of respecting closure areas and licensing requirements, since contaminants in marine environments can make shellfish unsafe even when they appear normal.
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