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B.C. man fined $7,500, slapped with 5-year ban, for illegal crabbing

This photo was used as evidence in the trial of Laird Goddyn, who was found guilty of Fisheries Act violations. (Fisheries and Oceans Canada - image credit)
This photo was used as evidence in the trial of Laird Goddyn, who was found guilty of Fisheries Act violations. (Fisheries and Oceans Canada - image credit)

A B.C. man has been fined $7,500 and slapped with a five-year fishing ban after officials found 89 crabs in his boat at White Rock's Elgin Park Marina in 2018.

The possession limit for recreational crabbers is four.

Laird Goddyn was found guilty of Fisheries Act violations in provincial court in Surrey last month and barred from holding tidal and non-tidal fishing licences.

The judge also ordered his seized boat returned on the condition he pay $4,638.48 in storage fees.

The investigation began with a tip from the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife after it opened an illegal crabbing and sales investigation into Goddyn's activities in April 2018.

At that time, he was identified as a "harvester of interest," according to a release from Fisheries and Oceans Canada.

On June 30, 2018, RCMP contacted the Langley Detachment fishery officers after Goddyn was found with the large haul of crabs during a licence compliance inspection.

The crabs were released back into the ocean.