Four individuals who were caught illegally harvesting shellfish on Vancouver Island have been dealt a combined $18,000 in fines by the courts.
According to Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO), the investigation stems from inspections conducted by fishery officers on August 26th, 2023, near Deep Bay.
On July 7th, 2026, the Courtenay Provincial Court found that Xiaohua (Jessica) Liu was guilty of making a false or misleading statement and unlawful possession of oysters. For her actions, she was fined $4,500.
Furthermore, three others pleaded guilty and were sentenced in the Vancouver Provincial Court on May 23, 2024.
Those individuals were Ya Chung Lao, who was fined $7,000; Yilai Zhu, who was fined $3,500; and Chun Shui Tu who was fined $3,000. All three were harvesting shellfish without a license.
According to DFO, throughout the investigation and court proceedings, several of those who have now been found guilty failed to appear in court, which resulted in arrest warrants being issued.
The organization asks that all shellfish harvesters review current regulations before harvesting.
“Following licensing requirements, catch and possession limits, species restrictions and area closures helps protect fish and shellfish populations and supports sustainable fisheries for future generations,” said DFO in a media release.
Anyone with information about suspected fisheries violations should call DFO Pacific Region’s reporting line at 1‑800‑465‑4336, or report violations via email.
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