A trip to gather cockles from Fairview Container Port beach has proven costly for two men.
Prince Rupert resident Wieler Leslie Innes and former resident James Frank Russ were each ordered to pay $1,000 after pleading guilty to catching and retaining cockles from the beach back in November 2011, a beach the Department of Fisheries and Oceans says is “well known locally as a closed, contaminated site”. At the time the two were apprehended, 244 cockles were confiscated and subsequently returned live to the ocean.
“It is essential for public health and safety that harvesters of bivalve shellfish always check to ensure that fishing areas are open and approved for harvesting prior to fishing,” read a statement from the DFO.
“It is illegal to harvest bivalves in contaminated areas, as consuming contaminated fish can have serious health consequences ... eating bivalves that have been affected by paralytic shellfish poison (PSP) or other contaminants can result in serious illness or death. Cooking the shellfish prior to consuming it does not destroy PSP or eliminate these risks.”
Information on closed areas can be found online at www.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/PSP or by calling 1-866-431-3474.