Fisheries and Oceans Canada is warning consumers to be wary of illegal roadside vendors who may hocking unsafe seafood.
Nicole Gallant, detachment supervisor for Fraser Valley West, says Fisheries and Oceans Canada has seen an increase in the number of public enquiries and complaints around buying seafood from non-commercial sources, including roadside vendors, as well as online from social media sites.
Given there is currently no commercial salmon fishing allowed on the Fraser River, there is a good chance roadside vendors operating locally could be doing so without a licence.
Seafood sold by unlicensed vendors may have been handled or stored improperly, or harvested from contaminated areas, she warned.
“Salmon and, really, all seafood can really turn fast ... with major health risks right up to death,” said Gallant.
In addition to health risks, there are also stiff penalties for anyone caught buying or selling seafood that was harvested or sold illegally.
If found guilty under the Fisheries Act, individuals may face a maximum $100,000 fine or be imprisoned for up to two years. Any equipment used as part of an illegal operation may be confiscated as well.
Last year, James Robert Wadhams was convicted of three charges under the Fisheries Act for selling halibut to local restaurants caught under an aboriginal communal license for food, social, ceremonial purposes.
Fisheries officers seized Wadhams’ Ford Explorer and fishing boat as part of the investigation.
Michael Kam Fuk Ching, who owns Austin Fish and Chips in Valley Fair Mall in Maple Ridge, was fined $5,000 for three Fisheries Act contraventions, while Amy Zhuo Hua Zheng, who owns Austin Fish and Chips in Pitt Meadows, got a $500 fine for two violations.
Gallant said the best way to determine if the vendor you are buying your fish from is legitimate is to simply ask questions.
“Ask to see their provincial vending license, or their commercial fishing licence,” she said.
Licensed commercial harvesters should have no problem showing their licence.
• FOC report line:
1-800-465-4336.