Red tide closure
Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) has served notice that harvesting of bivalve mollusks is closed in subareas 15-4 and 15-6 due to the presence of red tide.
Subarea 15-4 includes Okeover Inlet area while subarea 15-6 involves Toba Inlet. The notice served on April 19 involves harvesting of clams, oysters, mussels, geoducks, scallops and cockles, consumption of which can cause paralytic shellfish poisoning (PSP) also known as red tide. Red tide is a toxic algal bloom that affects filter-feeding shellfish. People consuming contaminated shellfish can become seriously ill with the toxins affecting the nervous and respiratory systems. Cooking does not destroy the toxins.
Harvesters are urged to contact the local DFO branch, 604.485.7963, for updates and additional information prior to any harvesting.
Day of Mourning
Members of CUPE (Canadian Union of Public Employees) Local 798 have organized a ceremony to mark the national Day of Mourning. The gathering starts at 10:45 am on Saturday, April 28 at the Workers’ Memorial, Cranberry Cemetery.
The day honours workers who have been killed, hurt, disabled or made unwell on the job as well as those who have lost their lives as a result of occupational disease.
In 2011, 142 workers in BC lost their lives. Of the 142 accepted claims, 71 were a result of occupational disease, many of which were for asbestos exposure. Three of the fatalities were young workers, 18, 19 and 24 years old.
