Three recreational fishermen have been handed a massive $11,600 fine for illegally harvesting sea cucumbers in Campbell River.
This fine was determined in three separate judgements by the Campbell River Provincial Court between November 2025 and this January.
The three fishers impacted by these fines are Sufeng Weng, Yuxuan Wang and Genjing Dai.
According to Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) these men were fishing together when it was discovered they were committing various offences.
Last May, DFO fishery officers were conducting inspections of recreational fishers on the Willow Point beach in Campbell River.
There, they found the three men who reportedly tried to dump items out of a bucket they were holding into the water upon the officers’ arrival.
The trio were ordered to cease what they were doing so that their licenses and catch could be inspected.
Officers discovered 43 giant red sea cucumbers and orange sea cucumbers. The daily limit is 12 per person, meaning the three men had taken seven over the limit.
Furthermore, during the interaction with DFO officers, Weng stated he had more sea cucumbers in his vehicle.
Containers with an undetermined amount of what appeared to be sea cucumbers and processed sea urchin were found in his vehicle, with the sea cucumbers frozen in blocks and the sea urchins having been processed for consumption.
The men were forced by officers to return all live sea cucumbers to the ocean.
According to the DFO, daily catch limits are in place for a reason, to ensure sustainable harvest opportunities, safeguard long‑term stock health and support First Nations communities that rely on the sea cucumber harvest.
“When individuals exceed harvest limits, they put this sensitive stock at risk,” said the DFO in a media release.
“Overharvesting can reduce sea cucumber densities to levels that hinder successful reproduction, threatening the species and potentially leading to future fishery restrictions or closures.”
Of the $11,600 total the men were fined, Weng was fined $6,000, Wang was fined $2,600 and Dai was fined $3,000.
