Stopping the Illegal Export of Canadian Wildlife

Bear near Gravenhurst

This is food for the long gun registry. I am all for the Federal Government giving the data to the provinces. Why waste all those tax dollars?

Quebec is in the process of suing the federal government for the records. Seems a shame to throw away the data.

News Release

Stopping the Illegal Export of Canadian Wildlife

OTTAWA, Ont. – September 21, 2012 – Environment Canada wildlife enforcement officers launched a coordinated series of interprovincial and international border inspections in the summer of 2012 to look for evidence of illegal hunting of black bear and other species. 

• The operation took place in 29 locations throughout Canada.
• Over 700 hunters and 125 fishermen were inspected while travelling between provinces or leaving the country. 
• Inspections resulted in 79 infractions. 
• Of these, 44 were related to black bears while 35 involved other species of wildlife.
• officers issued 54 contraventions, 25 warnings and confiscated 9 bear carcasses. 
• Various animal parts were confiscated: skulls, bear and seal meat, a liver, bacula and eagle parts. 
• Species inspected during the operation included wolf, bison, beaver, duck, mountain lion, deer and fish. 

The operation was coordinated with provincial government departments responsible for wildlife enforcement, Canada Border Services Agency, the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, as well as the United States Customs and Border Protection.

While the operation targeted unlawful exports of all Canadian species, particular attention was given to the export of black bear. Canada has one of the world's last remaining healthy populations of bear, which is protected under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna. Hunting, harvesting and trade are strictly regulated by provincial and federal governments so that bear species continue to thrive in Canada.

View this document on the department website.