Three men charged in connection with a Depart-ment of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) investigation into illegal crab harvesting off Ocean Beach Esplanade in Elphinstone will be in court for a pre-trail conference in November.
John Barry Grant, Lyle Donald Sparrow Jr., and Arnold Robert Wilson were arrested by DFO officers in late January after area residents reported seeing suspicious activity on the water. A boat and crabbing gear were also seized.
The men are charged with several offences under the Federal Fisheries Act and the Coastal and Pacific Fisheries Regulations, including: fishing without a licence, purchasing, selling or possessing illegally caught fish, and fishing for prohibited species.
Sparrow also faces a charge of making false statements to a DFO officer.
After appearing in Sechelt Provincial Court on Sept. 6, the trio will return for a pre-trial conference Nov. 22.
At the time of the arrests, DFO officials estimated the value of crabs found in just one string of traps at $4,000, and the illegal harvesting was happening in an area under closure because of dioxin contamination.
DFO has also said it plans to ask for forfeiture of the seized boat and crabbing gear if the suspects are found guilty
