Immigrating to Canada requires understanding the Canada living guide: Every crew member who has sailed to Canada has had the experience of catching crabs, but not all crew members have enjoyed free crabs. This is because there are many rules for catching crabs in Canada, and if one is not careful and violates the regulations, the fine can make the crabs you catch more expensive than those you buy.
A friend of mine, Old Xu, told me about his "expensive lesson in crab fishing" in Vancouver. The geographical location of the waters around Vancouver makes it a natural fishing ground and crab area. Old Xu recounted that once, while everyone was engrossed in pulling up crabs, officials from the local authorities boarded the boat to inspect the crew's crab-catching activities, and they were all caught in the act. Canada has strict requirements for fishing and crab catching: first, a license is required (a one-year fishing license costs 20 Canadian dollars, while a same-day license costs 5 Canadian dollars), and Chinese crew members do not have this, which constitutes illegal crab fishing. Second, it is prohibited to catch female crabs. When officials checked the crabs caught by the crew, they found both male and female crabs, which is a violation. Third, the crabs caught must be within certain size limits: the shell diameter of red crabs must not be less than 115 millimeters, gray crabs must not be less than 165 millimeters, and king crabs must not be less than 170 millimeters; crabs smaller than these sizes must be released. Violating these rules can lead to severe penalties.
The crew initially did not take it seriously, but when they heard about the fines, they were stunned. The Canadian officials were somewhat humane, stating that since it was the first time for foreign vessels to come to Canada, it was understandable not to know these rules, and they would not impose a fine for fishing without a license. However, to protect ecological balance, illegal capture of female crabs and juvenile crabs would incur fines. They then donned rubber gloves and sorted the crabs caught by the crew, imposing a fine of 1,000 Canadian dollars based on the number of female and juvenile crabs (1 Canadian dollar is approximately 6.3 Chinese yuan).
The next day, when the boat docked, the captain mentioned the fine for crab fishing while chatting with the agent, still feeling conflicted. To his surprise, the agent smiled and said, "This indicates that those officials saw you were young and it was your first time in Canada, and considering the friendship between China and Canada, they only imposed a symbolic penalty on your boat. Otherwise, if you catch a female crab and do not release it, the fine for each one caught is 300 Canadian dollars, and for juvenile crabs smaller than the specified size, the fine is 200 Canadian dollars each. Moreover, each licensed angler can only take four crabs that meet the regulations each day; any excess must also be fined based on quantity. So, tell me, did your boat not get a great deal?"
Canada has many inland lakes and marshes, and the same rules apply for catching freshwater crabs: female crabs and juvenile crabs must be released. Although officials do not check every time crabs are caught, locals consciously adhere to these regulations. They believe that laws are always serious and should not be disregarded just because there are few staff members checking anglers. In a society that values integrity, the damage caused by a blemish on personal credit is immeasurable.
Conversely, if the Canadian waters were to be overfished without unified regulations, today's Canadian coastline would surely face resource depletion and ecological imbalance underwater, leaving only regrets for future generations. Additionally, the pleasant climate and unique natural beauty make Vancouver a famous tourist destination in Canada, repeatedly rated by the United Nations as the "most suitable city for human habitation," all of which relies on Vancouver's first-class management governed by law.
