Unauthorized Sale of Fish

[yammy5]

Might be of interest to some....

Health Concerns Around Unauthorized Sale of Fish

November 28, 2007


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VANCOUVER – Following a recent investigation by fishery officers that uncovered the unauthorized sale of fish and fish products via the internet, Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) would like to remind the public of the health and safety concerns surrounding the purchase of such products from unauthorized and unapproved sources.
Fish and shellfish that is being sold to the public must go through the necessary health and safety inspections that are required when selling to the public. Fish from an unapproved source, that is not properly processed or stored, or that has not been part of a regulated inspection process may cause serious illness or, in some cases, even death.

The Department recommends that any fish or fish products recently purchased over the internet, from non-commercial sources in the Lower Mainland, should not be consumed due to potentially high levels of e-coli bacteria. Anyone with questions or concerns about consuming any such products acquired through the internet may contact the DFO reporting line toll free at 1-800-465-4336 or 604-607-4186 (in Greater Vancouver), or contact their local health authority.

DFO would also like to remind the public that it is unlawful to buy, sell, trade or barter, or offer to buy, sell, trade or barter any fish that has not been caught under a licence that authorizes sale. Only fish caught under a licence that authorizes the sale of that fish should be purchased.

Businesses or individuals that buy or sell fish are subject to federal and provincial fisheries and health legislation. Violators of this legislation may be subject to arrest, fines, jail, and forfeiture of anything seized.

DFO is continually working to end illegal fishing activities and the related illegal sales of such fish and fish products. As part of this work, the Department is asking the general public for information on activities of this nature or any contravention of the Fisheries Act and Regulations. Anyone with information can call the toll-free violation reporting line at 1-800-465-4336

 

[Tuffcity]

quote:due to potentially high levels of e-coli bacteria

Which is why buying stuff from a dubious roadside stand is probably not a good idea, especially "home smoked" salmon!

RC

 

[Rum Buddies]

so why do they let all those road side stands exist? I mean its not like its a secret?

 

[Klob]

Three guesses, and the first two don't count.

 

[Hoochiebob]

Some of you may remember a few years back there were some people getting sick after eating some of the Roadside smoked salmon.Cops finally busted the guys selling it,but I never heard what became of it.
Just dont buy the stuff-ever.Better yet,report it as soon as you see it.

 

[Red Monster]

Many of us don't like to see road-side sales and have said so. But I also don't look kindly upon those who are buying the stuff. [}] It's not fair to only blame the folks selling the stuff.

 

[Robert Warren]

quote:Many of us don't like to see road-side sales and have said so. But I also don't look kindly upon those who are buying the stuff. It's not fair to only blame the folks selling the stuff.

quote:so why do they let all those road side stands exist? I mean its not like its a secret?

quote:Some of you may remember a few years back there were some people getting sick after eating some of the Roadside smoked salmon.Cops finally busted the guys selling it,but I never heard what became of it.
Just dont buy the stuff-ever.Better yet,report it as soon as you see it.

Well now I think I resent all of your coments made here. I have ran a so called roadside stand. Selling smoked fish. I had my truck licenced for it, Had a freezer in the back of the truck and sold commercially caught and processed salmon that was smoked commercially at St. Jeans,(Indian Candy). I would eat it, feed it to my kids Ect. There was nothing at all wrong with my product, But I feel this thread is a little bit slanderous in that you are lumping every roadside stand into one basket. I did mine properly and had no reports of illness.

 

[Rum Buddies]

no offense but you're not exactly gonna get a lot of praise for selling anything "road side". Legal or not it reminds people of gypsies and nobody like gypsies, they stink like cabbage or is that carnies? [:0]

 

[Red Monster]

Rob, do feel free to resent me (and others) all you want, but you may want to look at the title of the thread first and mellow out a bit.

 

[yammy5]

Good point CA, you can bet these clams were destined for a restaurant to be served to the unsuspecting public. Scary.

Public Tip on Illegal Harvest Leads to Fines for Three

May 10, 2007


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VANCOUVER - Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) announced today that three Vancouver residents plead guilty and were fined for harvesting and possessing clams from a closed area near Tillicum Bay, B.C. in Sechelt Inlet.


On January 27, 2007, DFO received a call from a concerned citizen who had observed three people harvesting large quantities of clams from a beach closed due to Paralytic Shellfish Poisoning (PSP or "Red Tide"). Fishery officers intercepted the individuals and their vehicle at the Langdale Ferry Terminal and found eight five-gallon pails of clams (approximately 300 lbs). Da Teng Zhou, Shu Chou Zhou and Kam Ming Leung were subsequently charged with fishing and possession of clams harvested from a closed area. The clams were seized and returned to the water.


Recently, in Sechelt Provincial Court, Mr. Zhou, Mr. Zhou and Mr. Leung plead guilty and each received a $1,000 fine.


The aggregate daily limit for clams is 75. However, it is illegal to harvest shellfish from contaminated areas. Eating contaminated shellfish can cause serious illness; cooking does not destroy the PSP toxin. Proper documentation must accompany commercially-harvested shellfish to demonstrate that it has been harvested legally and inspected appropriately.


DFO acts to end illegal fishing activity. As part of this work, the Department is asking the general public for information on activities of this nature or any contravention of the Fisheries Act and Regulations. Anyone with information can call the toll-free violation reporting line at 1-800-465-4336.

 

[Striper Sniper]

BRAVO! DFO came through for us this time, THANKS as well to the concerned citizen who reported the incident.

 

[Robert Warren]

quote:Rob, do feel free to resent me (and others) all you want, but you may want to look at the title of the thread first and mellow out a bit.

Well what does roadside sales have to do with an internet sting operation anyways? That was what the thread was about until Papa and others went off on roadside sales. I wanted everyone to know that not all roadside stands are going to give you health problems. There are licenced mobile outlets as well. It would be like saying all restraunts give food poisoning, becuase you ate food from an unlicenced restraunt (run by gypsies?) that made you sick. Well guess what..? you kinda take a chance if the establishment is unlicenced to serve food. Whereas you probly won't get sick from a restraunt that follows food saftey standards and is licenced. If in doubt ask them to see thier licence, I know I had to carry mine with me at all times when I was doing Roadside sales just in case DFO showed up becuase someone called in. (Oddly enough they never did come to check me out, perhaps they had a list of licenced venders?)

As for the actual topic of the tread... Good on DFO. Looks like they are spending their time wisely sitting in front of a Computer. Just what I want out of a fisheries officer.

 

[Striper Sniper]

Hey guys, I think everyone needs to chill out a bit.... not all roadside merchants are rip offs, DFO on occasion do their jobs and as well on occasion, responsible residents report violations when they see them.... where is this thread going? SS

 

[Red Monster]

Well, Rob, from the title of the thread, from the second line of Yammy's post, and from the first sentence of the posted article, I thought the topic was quite clear and easy to follow: unauthorized sale of fish. And of the six paragraphs in the posted article, only one deals specifically with internet sales. In other words, five of the six paragraphs dealt with problems associated with unauthorized sale of fish of any kind.

What's interesting is that you defend the notion that some road-side venders are not a problem, but you are unwilling to address or acknowledge any problems with unauthorized road-side sale of fish. Instead, and ironically, you knock the DFO for "sitting in front of a computer." Would you or would you not like the DFO to get out from behind their computers and stop the unauthorized sale of fish by the road-side? My guess is that you will continue to duck this issue altogether, prefering to shift to other issues that you deem of more importance. Right? Fine.

However, I don't see the need to resent anything I've said. In fact, I was suggesting that the folks who are buying the fish from unauthorized souces (non-native folks?) are not without blame. If poeple stopped buying fish from unauthorized sources, would there be a market for unauthorized sales? Hmmm...

 

[Robert Warren]

quote:Following a recent investigation by fishery officers that uncovered the unauthorized sale of fish and fish products via the internet, Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) would like to remind the public of the health and safety concerns surrounding the purchase of such products from unauthorized and unapproved sources.
Fish and shellfish that is being sold to the public must go through the necessary health and safety inspections that are required when selling to the public. Fish from an unapproved source, that is not properly processed or stored, or that has not been part of a regulated inspection process may cause serious illness or, in some cases, even death.

The Department recommends that any fish or fish products recently purchased over the internet, from non-commercial sources in the Lower Mainland, should not be consumed due to potentially high levels of e-coli bacteria. Anyone with questions or concerns about consuming any such products acquired through the internet may contact the DFO reporting line toll free at 1-800-465-4336 or 604-607-4186 (in Greater Vancouver), or contact their local health authority.

The rest of this article is generic. The last paragraphs are posted on many other press releases as well. The first few paragraphs tend to deal with the item of unauthorized sale of fish via the internet...

Commenting on unauthorized roadside stands would be redundant based on the fact that I have stated that you take a chance with your health if you deal with an unauthorized vendor. I would defiantly prefer that DFO went out and checked roadside vendors rather than sit behind a computer, but in this instance it was apparently worth the while. I'm not trying to defend any non-compliant roadside sales of fish whatsoever. I had to go through the inspections and license fees and I would be the first in line to shut down the shady operators. However, I felt as though every roadside operator was being painted with the same brush and felt there needed to be a clarification between licensed roadside vendors and non-licensed roadside vendors. If you want to read anything else into it.. You are arguing with yourself.

 

[salmon9]

I got ripped off at a roadside stand last summer. I paid $0.25 for a glass of lemonaide near my home and just down the street the price was $0.10, the glass was larger and the lemonaide was colder. I did not see any license posted and now I wonder if I got ecoli.