The Westerly News
Jan. 28, 2004
How many pintos can be
stuffed inside your Mercedes Benz? Absolutely none! The rape and pillage of
Pinto abalone is illegal and if caught, you can bend over and kiss your shiny
hood ornament good-bye, as well as other equipment used in the harvesting.
Not to mention the dollars you'll be fined. The equipment seizures and fines,
as well as jail time for repeat offenders, serve as deterrents to stop people
from illegally poaching abalone.
Pinto abalone
Pintos are the smallest abalones, averaging 10cm (4") long; some individuals grow to 12cm (6"). Found clinging to rocks in kelp beds along open coastal environments, their habitat is between the low intertidal zone and sub tidally down to 18 meters(70'). Abalone are thought to live up to 50 years.
By becoming a member of Coast Watch, you too can help stop abalone poachers.
Coast Watch, a passive crime prevention practice based on the concepts
of Neighborhood and Block Watch programs, discourages the poaching of
abalone by having a large number of volunteers from the community keep
a watchful eye out for and then report any suspicious boating and scuba
diving activities occurring in their area to 1 800 465-4336.
Currently, three Coast Watch programs are active on the coast in Haida Gwaii, Kitasoo and the Huu-ay-aht First Nations territories. Coast Watch is an important part of the Bamfield Huu-ay-aht Community Abalone Project (BHCAP) and there are 70 Coast Watch volunteers who keep a watchful eye out for poachers and suspicious activity along the southern shores of Barkley Sound.
As protecting wild abalone stocks from poaching is an integral part of the BHCAP strategy, plans are also in the works to introduce the Coast Watch program to the Ucluelet, Toquaht, Tla-o-qui-aht, Hesquiaht and Ahousaht First Nations communities as well as the municipalities of Ucluelet and Tofino in mid-February, with the intent to establish a network of watchful eyes up and down the coast.
A workshop will be held Feb. 10 at 7pm at the Rainforest Interpretive Centre in Tofino.
For more information, please email public_ed@bms.bc.ca or phone 250 728-3301, ext. 226.
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Copyright The
Westerly News, a Canwest Company. Reproduction of this article
or photographs, in whole or in part, is illegal without the written consent
of The Westerly News (westnews@ukeecable.net).
The Westerly News is published each Wednesday in Ucluelet. Phone: 250
726-7029
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