poachers busted on the sunshine coast

[wildthing]

looks like the greedy poachers got done in the end ........
illegal crabbing ....
alloy skiff that comes out of Vancouver
doing midnight maneuvers

many thanks DFO and RCMP

hope the book gets thrown at them .......

 

[TheBigGuy]

I hope they have their vessel confiscated (if convicted) and a prohibition from owning a boat or being on the water would be perfect for these type of professional poachers. Our resources can barely sustain the legal harvests of sports and commercial harvesters combined. When the illegal poaching operations move into an area you'll be lucky to find anything to take home after they've cleaned everything out. Way more resources need to be committed to apprehending the commercial type of poaching that is happening on the west coast. The illegal harvests in the sports sector are a drop in the bucket compared to the illegal harvests taking place for retail sales. If you look at it in perspective the man power spent checking the for illegal catches in the sports fleet is a total waste of resources. One commercial type poacher in any area is probably taking more than the entire sports take combined in the same area. The manpower would be far better spent concentrating on illegal poaching rings that harvest massive quantities. I think the enforcement emphasis should be shifted to concentrate on illegal poaching operations for resale, not the sports fleet.

 

[wildthing]

with you on this big Guy just for people to know
these guys turned up at bonnnie brooke beach area five or six years ago and cleaned it out in one summer
taking in excess at the start 20 carb per trap X 60 traps 3 times per week = 3,600 crab
even if the where getting $5-10 a crab, thats at the end of the day big bucks for the 3 guys in the boat ....
well they started coming back last season and showed up again and again
setting & pulling in the middle of the night
no markers, bouy's and covering the whole bay with commercial 3 and 4 gate ladner traps

so DFO had to listen eventually....
i hope they do lose the right to be on the water as its just shameful.
so be aware people on the coast are watching ........

 

[cracked_ribs]

People like that need holes punched in their engine blocks, anywhere from thirty hundredths on up to a half inch in diameter. In my personal opinion, of course.

 

[satellite]

is there a link?

 

[wildthing]

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?...334225718.1073741827.593770717&type=3&theater

 

[Bret]

The bottom line is if you see that kind of activity report to DFO they are spread to thin to catch everything

 

[bones]

http://www.coastreporter.net/news/l...ts-lead-to-major-crab-poaching-bust-1.9712604

This was sent to my email, wow that could be lots crabs

 

[Damien]

The boat should be siezed and auctioned. There shouldn't be ifs ands or buts.

 

[TheBigGuy]

As far as dollars in the underground economy goes in the province I think the illegal seafood trade is right behind drugs. It's not penny ante by any means, it's big business.

 

[Klob]

Let's all hope they do not blow the investigation and prosecution. Something tells me these guys can afford a big shot lawyer. Has anyone seen any names?

 

[sly_karma]

Congrats to all who had even a small part in this. Thanks.

 

[Reelin In The Years]

Yes, it would certainly be nice if ours courts would fine the crap out of these dicks. Take all involved equipment, vehicles included and auction it all off to the highest bidders.
Make an example of these offenders, so other people will think twice about performing these acts. Mother nature cannot rebound with fishing like this going on.

 

[cracked_ribs]

I'd be fine with the DFO just seizing the boat and everything on board, and no further punishment, to be honest.

"Hey, you're engaged in illegal commercial fishing. We're taking your boat and everything on it, so prepare yourself for a bit of a shift in priorities."

"Why, what are we supposed to do now?"

"Depends...are you a good swimmer? Because your life jackets also belong to us. Anyway, good luck. Now get off our boat."