A Meaford, Ont., man was fined $5,500 after pleading guilty to using a boat to kill, injure, or harass wildlife.
The Ontario Court of Justice heard that on Oct. 13, 2024, conservation officers were conducting a moose decoy operation on Lac des Mille Lacs, about 120 kilometres west of Thunder Bay.
This initiative was aimed at addressing ongoing issues with illegal hunting methods, including moose being shot from motorboats.
Officers say they observed the Meaford man operating a motorboat in a way that deliberately brought the boat close to the moose decoys, while another man fired a rifle at them.
Both people fled the area but were later arrested by officers.
On April 3, Thunder Bay heard the case involving the Meaford resident. The duo was fined a total of $11,000. The other man pleaded guilty to having a loaded firearm in a motorboat and discharging the firearm from the motorboat.
Anyone with information about natural resource violations or unsolved cases can contact the ministry’s TIPS line at 1-877-847-7667 or reach Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-TIPS.