Man who sold bald eagle parts fined
Wednesday, April 18, 2007
NICHOLAS READ,
Vancouver Sun
An Ontario man involved in trafficking B.C. eagle parts was fined a total of $25,000 in Surrey provincial court on Tuesday.
Brian General of Hagersville, Ont., entered a guilty plea under the B.C. Wildlife Act to one count of unlawfully trafficking in wildlife, and was fined $15,000, of which $14,500 will go to the Habitat Conservation Trust Fund.
General also pleaded guilty to one count of unlawfully exporting wildlife from B.C., and was fined an additional $10,000, of which $9,500 will go to the trust fund.
General was charged following a 15-month investigation by the Conservation Officer Service after a member of the public reported the discovery of the remains of several eagles in North Vancouver.
Thirteen other people are still facing multiple charges under the provincial Wildlife Act and the Wild Animal and Plant Protection and Regulation of the International and Interprovincial Trade Act.
In 2005, 40 eagle carcasses were found in or near Cates Park. The birds had their wing tips, tails and talons removed, leading investigators to believe the birds may have been killed by poachers looking to sell the parts to first nations groups for use in cultural ceremonies.
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