The City of Delta wants the federal government to do more to curb illegal crabbing at Centennial Beach and Boundary Bay.
In a recent letter to Fisheries Minister Bernadette Jordan, Mayor George Harvie said there’s a noticeable increase in illegal crabbing and harvesting of bivalve.
The city doesn’t have the jurisdiction to conduct enforcement, so Delta is requesting Fisheries officers increase enforcement and add multi-lingual signage to discourage illegal shellfish harvesting, said Harvie.
“Bivalve shellfish in the area can be contaminated with dangerous toxins, which unassuming harvesters may be consuming, putting themselves and their families at risk. In addition, while crabbing is legal with a licence, illegal crabbing appears to be on the rise this year. We are seeking your assistance to curb both of these practices to protect people’s health and reduce the environmental impact on local ecosystems,” Harvie wrote.
