Peace Arch News
Two arrests in massive clam bust
By Tracy Holmes - Peace Arch News
Published: July 15, 2008 1:00 PM
Updated: July 15, 2008 1:41 PM
Two Langley men are facing charges and significant financial penalties in connection with the seizure of 400-500 pounds of Manilla clams in Crescent Beach Sunday.
Fisheries and Oceans Canada officers arrested two men and seized the illegally harvested bivalves just before noon, after watching two clam-diggers fill their backpacks for about 2˝ hours on Blackie Spit.
They believe the sizable haul was a “professional” job.
“It’s the largest (seizure) I’ve personally ever been a part of,” field supervisor Neil Jensen told the Peace Arch News just before dumping the live clams into the water off Crescent Beach pier.
“It’s a significant commercial quantity. Typically, that type of volume isn’t seen.”
Jensen said the arrests were unusual, because they involved just two men and such a large number of clams.
However, the combination is a growing – and disturbing – trend, he said.
“This year and even last year, there’s been a shift,” Jensen said, noting the majority of busts along the beach have been, until recently, of the “mom-and-pop” variety.
“There seems to be more commercial intent now,” he said. “We’re busting people down there on a regular basis. The quantity that they’re getting is way beyond anything that’s personal. It’s just amazing the scale of operation we’re finding out there.
“I can’t honestly remember it being this bad, just the volume of people that we’re finding.”
While Sunday’s clam-diggers were spotted on Blackie Spit during a routine patrol, Jensen said bigger problem areas are stretches of beach accessed via the 15A and 24 Avenue stairs. Officers often encounter “sophisticated” operations and witness offenders hiding their stash in the bush in an attempt to avoid detection.
Most disturbing is that the majority – even those seen trying to evade getting caught – claim they don’t know the activity is illegal, nor that harvesting is off-limits because the shellfish are contaminated, Jensen said.
“These clams are such that they can easily kill people, or make you very, very sick,” he said. “It’s very, very contaminated. The shellfish in Boundary Bay, they’re so far past the safe limit of E. coli, it’s unbelievable.”
Jensen said as bivalves are filter feeders, they take in, concentrate and retain “every little speck of poisoning” that enters the ocean. Unfortunately, people harvesting them illegally are more concerned with profits available on the black market than whether the product is safe for consumption, he said.
Jensen said DFO has been working to better publicize the dangers of harvesting and consuming Boundary Bay shellfish, including through advertising in various ethnic newspapers. As well, they’re making strides in the courtroom, where judges are often supportive of stiff penalties, and less leniency is given to first-time offenders.
“It’s not just about conservation of a species, it’s not just about obeying rules. This is also about people dying or getting sick. We all trust that the food products we’re buying are safe, and these people are undermining that,” Jensen said.
“The courts usually respond to that.”
Regarding Sunday’s seizure, Jensen said DFO will ask for forfeiture of a minivan seized in connection with the incident; as well, for a “very, very significant financial penalty” and more.
He encouraged anyone who spots questionable activity on the beach to call the DFO 24-hour hotline locally at 604-666-3500 or toll-free at 1-800-465-4336.
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