Canada Fisheries Officers Seize Elvers Worth $500K at Toronto Airport

Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) officers and Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) officers seized roughly 109 kg of unlawful elvers at Toronto Pearson International Airport. The elvers were scheduled to be transferred overseas.

The seized elvers are worth between $400,000 and $500,000.

An investigation into this matter for violations of the Fisheries Act is currently underway.

“The magnitude of this elver seizure is an important development,” said Diane Lebouthillier, Minister of Fisheries, Oceans, and the Canadian Coast Guard, in a statement. “It reflects not only the work of Fisheries and Oceans Canada, but also the collaborative efforts of many other government agencies and departments.

“Once again, our message is crystal clear: do not travel to Nova Scotia to illegally fish or export elvers this year, enforcement officers will be waiting for you.”

This seizure was the product of a coordinated operation combining officials from the DFO’s Conservation & Protection Directorate and the National Fisheries Intelligence Service, as well as the CBSA Commercial Operations District and intelligence teams.

The federal government banned the lucrative elver fishery on March 11 following violence and intimidation during last year’s fishing season in Nova Scotia and New Brunswick.

Elvers are often flown to Asia and grown to maturity before being sold for food, with mature eels utilized in unagi dishes at sushi restaurants.

The baby eels are valued approximately $5,000 per kilogram, more than lobsters, scallops, or salmon, making them the most valuable fish by weight in Canada.

The DFO announced in March that no elver fishing would take place this year due to safety and conservation concerns. So far, cops have made 149 arrests and seized around 207.7 kg of elvers.

According to federal data, 149 people have been arrested for elver-related crimes this year, with approximately 208 kilos recovered.

Elvers, the fascinating baby eels

Elvers are tiny, transparent young eels that migrate from the ocean into freshwater rivers and streams. These little snake-like organisms make an astonishing journey, swimming thousands of miles to their destination. Elvers perform an important role in the life cycle of eels, eventually maturing into the adult eels we know.

Their migration is a spectacular natural spectacle. Elvers crawl in large groups upstream, overcoming barriers such as waterfalls and dams. Once in freshwater, they will mature for years before returning to the sea to breed and repeat the cycle. Elvers face numerous dangers, including habitat loss and over fishing, making conservation efforts critical for these extraordinary migratory.