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<\/p>\nFisheries officials say they are reviewing a video showing crew on a large ship boasting about catching hundreds of Dungeness crabs while visiting Vancouver \u2014 and appearing to break numerous fishing regulations in the process.<\/p>\n
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Video circulating on social media since last week shows the Mandarin-speaking merchant sailors hauling up crab traps dangling off the side of the massive commercial vessel, their catch appearing to include illegal undersized and female crabs.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s also illegal to pull crab traps at night, as shown in the video, while the possession limit is four per person.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe don\u2019t need to sleep tonight. Overkill. Catching crabs until dawn. Crabs are estimated at 441 pounds,\u201d says a subtitle on the video.<\/p>\n
After the men are shown pulling up the crabs, the scene cuts to the galley where the crabs are cooked in metal steamers and the men have a feast, washed down with cans of Tsingtao beer.<\/p>\n
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\u201cIt smells so good,\u201d says one sailor, while the man next to him adds \u201cmy mouth is watering.\u201d<\/p>\n
Parts of Vancouver\u2019s harbour are off-limits to crabbing, and while the men say they have stopped in \u201cVancouver, Canada,\u201d it\u2019s not clear exactly where the vessel is anchored.<\/p>\n
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Fisheries and Oceans Canada said it is aware of the video and taking the matter \u201cseriously,\u201d while the Port of Vancouver said it wanted to help educate visiting sailors about local rules.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are currently reviewing the video for any potential indicators that may warrant further investigation,\u201d the Fisheries Department said in a statement.<\/p>\n
Subtitles on the video say the men made some of the traps themselves, pulling them up every 10 minutes and at one stage catching more than 100 crabs in two hours, with no time for bathroom breaks.<\/p>\n
The name of the ship isn\u2019t given or shown in the video.<\/p>\n
The Port of Vancouver said in a statement that it was concerned about the \u201calleged behaviour\u201d and would provide the Fisheries Department with support to properly investigate.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe will also look into how we can work with Fisheries and Oceans Canada to help visiting ships and their crews understand their rights and responsibilities while in Canadian waters, such as proactively sharing relevant information regarding fishery licensing and regulations,\u201c read the statement.<\/p>\n
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Jason Voong, president of the BC Crab Fishermen\u2019s Association, has seen the videos, and said it was bad practice for people to go crabbing without any knowledge or respect for local rules.<\/p>\n
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\u201cThe rules and regulations are there to make sure that crab fishing remains sustainable,\u201d said Voong, a second-generation crab fisherman.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnyone around the world is eligible to come to B.C. and catch crabs. You just have to get a sport fishing licence. Even if you\u2019re not a Canadian resident, you can still get a crab fishing licence,\u201d said Voong.<\/p>\n
\u201cOur rules are, you can only get males, no females, because females lay thousands of eggs, and they have a high reproduction rate,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n
Voong said the minimum size for retaining a Dungeness crab is 16.5 centimetres across the widest part of the shell.<\/p>\n
Dungeness crabs in B.C. are well known for flavourful meat, and they\u2019re harvested year-round along the coast.<\/p>\n
Voong said his fondest fishing memories involve crab fishing with his parents, then using a camping stove by the water to make noodles with crab.<\/p>\n
The crabs were \u201ceasy to catch as a beginner,\u201d said Voong. \u201cIf you have a boat, and you can drive anywhere and find a beach and set a trap, and you might find some crabs around.\u201d<\/p>\n
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Asked how sailors visiting from other countries are treated under its regulations, the Fisheries Department said its officers have a range of compliance measures, including seizure of items and making arrests.<\/p>\n
Officers were \u201cassessing the video and verifying the information,\u201d it said.<\/p>\n
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