A man has been charged under the Wildlife Act after conservation officers allegedly found illegal black bear parts in his vehicle during a traffic stop on the North Island last year.
The man was pulled over near Port McNeill in May 2017 after the public reported suspicious hunting activity around Port Alice.
A conservation officer found and seized illegal black bear parts and arrested a man at the scene.
After a year of investigation that involved forensic testing of some of the items seized, conservation says charges have been approved that include knowingly making a false statement in order to obtain a licence, hunting big game while not accompanied by a guide, hunting without a licence, hunting without other licences required by regulation, unlawfully possessing prohibited bear parts and unlawful possession of dead wildlife parts.
The man charged is expected to make a court appearance on May 15.
Penalties associated with the charges include up to six months in jail and up to $500,000 in fines.
Sgt. Ben York of the BC Conservation Officer Service said there are generally between one to two incidents of illegal bear hunting on Vancouver Island per year.
The service encourages anyone who witnesses poaching or other environmental violations to report it to their 24/7 hotline at 1-877-952-7277.
