Courtenay, B.C- On February 21, 2025, in Courtenay Provincial Court, the Honourable Judge B. Hutcheson found Scarborough resident Raul Dumelod guilty of catching and retaining oysters over the daily limit, and of fishing without a valid licence in Buckley Bay, British Columbia (B.C.). Dumelod was charged in August of 2024 and fined a total of $5,500.
The case resulted from a routine inspection by fishery officers from Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO)'s Conservation and Protection Directorate. DFO fishery officers support the Department's ongoing efforts to rebuild, protect and sustain fish and shellfish populations through regular patrols, enforcing the Fisheries Act and its regulations, and by participating in investigations and court proceedings. In the case of shellfish harvesting, the Department is particularly concerned with illegal harvesting in commercially licenced areas and locations that may impact legal harvesting opportunities for First Nations. Additionally, DFO regularly inspects areas that are closed due to possible contamination as harvesting (in any form) can pose severe risks to human health.
On August 29, 2024, fishery officers were patrolling near the Buckley Bay/Union Bay area on Vancouver Island in an unmarked patrol vehicle during the low tide. They observed Mr. Dumelod with a large bucket and approached him to confirm if he had been harvesting shellfish from the beach and had a valid licence to do so. They subsequently found that Mr. Dumelod also had two large buckets in his van filled with oysters and could not produce a valid tidal waters fishing licence. Fishery officers found 312 oysters, which is 300 more than the daily limit of 12. The area where Mr. Dumelod was harvesting was clearly marked as a commercial oyster lease with no harvesting permitted. Further signage in the area indicated that recreational oyster harvesting was permitted 0.3 km northwards, where harvesting is legal.
It is everyone's responsibility to know the rules before they go out on the water, and to play their part in ensuring that B.C.'s fish species and their habitats are protected and sustained. It is especially important for tourists to make sure they are fully informed of the rules on where and what they can fish and, in the case of shellfish, where harvesting poses a risk to human health.
