Thursday, August 20, 2009

Hunting Fine Levied

A North Carolina man has been fined two thousand dollars for lying to a Ministry of Natural Resources Conservation Officer.

Court heard that Jonathan Morrison met up with a CO while hunting in the Kenora area.
The officer questioned him about his deer hunting activities.

Morrison made several conflicting statements regarding his part in killing a white tailed deer.
Upon investigation, his statements were found to be false.

Morrison will have his hunting priveles in Ontario reinstated and his rifle returned once he pays his fine.

Slow Summer for Tourism

Ontario's Sunset Country Travel Association is reflecting on the summer tourism season that way and gearing up for the fall hunting season.

Executive Director Gerry Cariou says this summer wasn't the best for tourism.

Cariou says the dedicated hunters from the United States and Canada will still be visiting their favourite tourist outfitters, but notes there may a slight decrease in the number of hunters visiting because of the economic recession.

Boating Regulations deadline approaching

September 15th marks the day all operators of powered recreational vessels need to obtain a Pleasure Craft Operator Card.

The Federal law was passed in 1999 but will be enforced starting this fall.

Boat Smart Canada President Cameron Taylor says to date 1.5 million Canadians have obtained the card.

An estimated 6.5 million still need to get their cards before September 15th.

A number of local businesses also offer courses to qualify for the Pleasure Craft Operator Card.

MNR Enforcement on Winnipeg River

Kenora District Conservation Officers laid 13 charges and issued 39 warnings during an enforcement blitz from August 2nd to 10th on the Winnipeg River.

Conservation officers checked 264 anglers for compliance with the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act and Ontario Fisheries Regulations.

Several charges were laid for having an overlimit of walleye, fishing without a license, and transporting fish that could not be measured and identified.

Officers also laid two charges and issued three warnings against individuals under the Liquor Licence Act, for having open liquor in a boat.

Attiwapiskat Rally

Roughly 50-members of the remote Northern community of Attawapiskat First Nation staged a peaceful protest outside the DeBeers Canada Office in Toronto Wednesday.

Chief Theresa Hall says they are concerned that the wealth generated by diamond exploration and mining on their traditional land is not being shared.

Hall says they have tried to address the issue with the Mining Company and both levels of Government but stresses their patience is running out.

She says Attawapiskat residents are living in poverty, while living next door to one of the richest mining operations in the world.

Another Quiet Forest Fire Season

It's on track to be another quiet forest fire season in northwestern Ontario.

As of yesterday, there have been a total 173 forest fires in the region this season, burning an area of about 14-thousand hectares.

By comparison, there about 50 fewer fires to date last season, covering about 370 hectares.

The 10 year annual average for the number of fires and hectares is 639 fires and 104-thousand hectares annually.