270 illegal crab traps seized from Boundary Bay, federal officials say
More than 900 crabs were freed from illegal traps in Boundary Bay last week, according to federal officials.
Between Jan. 23 and Jan 27, the Department of Fisheries and Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard conducted a "ghost fishing" operation near White Rock.
"To counter suspected illegal fishing, fishery officers conduct dragging operations several times a year to retrieve lost, abandoned or illegally set gear that are out of compliance," a spokesperson for the DFO said in an email.
"These traps can also become buried in the mud over time, making them more difficult to retrieve."
In all, 270 traps were found. The statement from the DFO says more than half of them were sealed shut, which is specifically prohibited by regulations.
"Illegal traps are disposed of by destruction or, if there is value, they are sold through government auction," the DFO spokesperson noted.
Seven hundred and eighty-eight Dungeness crabs and 119 red rock crabs were returned to the water. According to the DFO's website, it is illegal to possess these types of crustacean if they are female.
An investigation is under way to try to identify who set the traps and "charges may follow," the emailed statement says.
Federal officials urge anyone who suspects illegal fishing activity to report it by calling 1-800-465-4336.
Correction
This sotry was updated to clarify that only the possession of female Dungeness or red rock crabs is illegal.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Quebec nurse had to clean up after husband's death in Montreal hospital
On a night she should have been mourning, a nurse from Quebec's Laurentians region says she was forced to clean up her husband after he died at a hospital in Montreal.
Northern Ont. lawyer who abandoned clients in child protection cases disbarred
A North Bay, Ont., lawyer who abandoned 15 clients – many of them child protection cases – has lost his licence to practise law.
Bank of Canada officials split on when to start cutting interest rates
Members of the Bank of Canada's governing council were split on how long the central bank should wait before it starts cutting interest rates when they met earlier this month.
Maple Leafs fall to Bruins in Game 3, trail series 2-1
Brad Marchand scored twice, including the winner in the third period, and added an assist as the Boston Bruins downed the Toronto Maple Leafs 4-2 to take a 2-1 lead in their first-round playoff series Wednesday
Cuban government apologizes to Montreal-area family after delivering wrong body
Cuba's foreign affairs minister has apologized to a Montreal-area family after they were sent the wrong body following the death of a loved one.
'It was instant karma': Viral video captures failed theft attempt in Nanaimo, B.C.
Mounties in Nanaimo, B.C., say two late-night revellers are lucky their allegedly drunken antics weren't reported to police after security cameras captured the men trying to steal a heavy sign from a downtown business.
What is changing about Canada's capital gains tax and how does it impact me?
The federal government's proposed change to capital gains taxation is expected to increase taxes on investments and mainly affect wealthy Canadians and businesses. Here's what you need to know about the move.
New Indigenous loan guarantee program a 'really big deal,' Freeland says at Toronto conference
Canada's Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland was among the 1,700 delegates attending the two-day First Nations Major Projects Coalition (FNMPC) conference that concluded Tuesday in Toronto.
'Life was not fair to him': Daughter of N.B. man exonerated of murder remembers him as a kind soul
The daughter of a New Brunswick man recently exonerated from murder, is remembering her father as somebody who, despite a wrongful conviction, never became bitter or angry.