(This is an edited version of a letter sent to federal Fisheries Minister Dominic LeBlanc at [email protected] and copied to Coast Reporter.)
Dear Minister LeBlanc:
For the past two years I have actively worked within our community behind the scenes and been in regular contact with our local MP, Pam Goldsmith-Jones. As a resident of the Lower Sunshine Coast, my goal has been to try to help restore the DFO presence that was withdrawn during the last Conservative administration. Pam has met with me on three occasions and I have articulated the desperate need for the enforcement of laws to prevent fish poaching in the area.
I have reported two significant poaching incidents in the last two years to DFO – in one instance I witnessed no fewer than five large containers carried individually by two men, each container loaded to the top with prawns and crab – my guess is over 100 pounds per container. And our closest DFO officer was three hours away. When I asked the officer what he would do if he were stationed in our community and I texted him about the incident, he said he would drop what he was doing and show up and confiscate the catch, possibly impound the vehicle and/or the boat.
Our local resource is being wiped out by criminals stealing from our ocean. Please take prompt action to restore DFO presence on the Lower Sunshine Coast.
Chuck Gould, Sechelt
