Illegal cabin, illegal moose, illegal sturgeon

A number of enforcement charges have been laid Ontario's Natural Resources Ministry, related to illegal structures and illegal hunting and fishing practices.

In the first incident the MNR fined two local brothers $1,500 and ordered them to tear down an illegal cabin.

Brian MacMillan, 42, and his brother Gordon, 38, were found guilty of building on Crown land without a permit.

Court heard that the two men built the cabin in South Lorrain Township, northeast of Temagami, during the summer and fall of 2001. They said they didn’t need a permit, claiming rights as members of the Eagle Village First Nation, Kipawa, Quebec. After being charged, they told Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR) conservations officers that the cabin belonged to two Temagami First Nation members.

Justice of the Peace Michael Kitlar heard the case in Haileybury Provincial Court on July 9, 2004.

The public is encouraged to help protect its natural resources by reporting violations to the local MNR office or anonymously to Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).

In the second case, four Southern Ontario people were fined $2,500 in total for an illegal moose hunt.

The fines came as a result of an attempt to deceive conservation officers.

The four people, all from the Chatham area were in the Elk Lake area at the time.

Dwain Lariviere, 46, was fined $1,000 and received a year’s hunting suspension for illegally shooting a cow moose. Vern Watson, 81, and Michael Flanagan, 46, were fined $500 each for lying to an MNR conservation officer. Clara Watson, 73, was fined $500 for illegally tagging the moose.

Court heard that during October 2003, Lariviere shot an adult cow moose when he only had a calf moose tag. He convinced Clara Watson, who was hunting with another group, to put her cow tag on his moose. The party then told conservation officers Watson shot the moose.

Justice of the Peace Michael Kitlar heard the case in Haileybury Provincial Court on July 8, 2004.

And, finally, two Englehart-area men have been convicted and fined $1,000 each for poaching sturgeon.

Glen Mills, 53, and Brian Scott, 50, pleaded guilty to fishing illegally and lying to an MNR conservation officer.

Court heard that on May 8 this year, the pair was spotted by conservation officers catching and hiding two sturgeons on Blanche River, near Englehart. When asked, the men denied catching anything. They were subsequently found to have caught five sturgeons, three over the limit.

Justice of the Peace Michael Kitlar heard the case in Haileybury Provincial Court on July 8, 2004.

The public is encouraged to help protect its natural resources by reporting violations to the local MNR office or anonymously to Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).