Coaldale man fined $20,000 for importing wildlife and possessing bear hide

COALDALE, Alta. — An Alberta man has been fined $20,000 after he was convicted of illegally importing wildlife into Canada and possessing a black bear hide from Alaska.

Fredrick Thomson, who is from Coaldale, was sentenced in provincial court Friday after being convicted of the two charges last fall.

It was found he violated the Wild Animal and Plant Protection and Regulation of International and Interprovincial Trade Act.

The money will go toward the environmental damages fund.

Thomson was required to forfeit the hide seized during the investigation.

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In addition to the fine, Thomson is prohibited from hunting outside of Canada for two years and from importing and exporting animals or their parts for reasons not related to his taxidermy business.

The case was part of Operation Bruin, a North American investigation into illegal hunting in Alaska, Alberta, British Columbia and Yukon.

Six Canadians and two Americans have been convicted in Canada as part of the investigations, with penalties totalling $87,200.

The U.S. has also convicted 12 people in Alaska.

The Canadian Press