National Parks Poachers

[H380]

Originally Posted by buckman

I find this hard to believe. Which lake is this supposed to be? Mountain lakes all look very similar on most video clips.



I think they were somewhere in the Columbia valley area between Invermere and Cranbrook.



Also they would have to be very dumb to put up a video of themselves on You Tube if it was in the park.

Dumb would be the understatement of the century ...but then again they would find themselves in the company of the guys in Sask that posted on social media shooting ducks on a slough with a rimfire out of season and the Prostaff archery hunter shooting elk in Yellowstone with recognizable mountain peaks in the background ...yup they definitely have company..

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[Albertadiver]

https://calgary.ctvnews.ca/reckless-...park-1.6362776

An Alberta judge fined a B.C. man $6,000 Wednesday for illegally catching eight cutthroat trout in Banff National Park as part of a YouTube survival challenge nearly four years ago.

Outdoor survivalists Greg Ovens of Canal Flats, B.C., and Zachary Fowler, an American citizen, filmed part of the "30 Day Survival Challenge in the Canadian Rockies" YouTube video series in the national park in July 2019.

Parks Canada wardens laid several charges in February 2022 against both men, who met while they were contestants on the History Channel TV show Alone.

Warrants are outstanding for Fowler, but Ovens agreed to plead guilty to a single charge of illegal fishing under the National Parks Act.

Justice Eric Tolppanen of the Alberta Court of Justice disagreed with the Crown position that the accused was attempting to financially benefit from his actions.

He gave credit to Ovens for an early guilty plea and for attempting to have the videos removed, but said it's a serious matter.

"A total of eight of the protected species of fish were taken from the lake. It's aggravating that natural bait was used. This type of bait is prohibited as it risks the introduction to lakes of invasive species, including the microscopic parasite that causes whirling disease," Tolppanen said Wednesday.

"I do find, however, his conduct to have been reckless. As part of the Survival Challenge, he clearly planned to live for a significant period of time in an area familiar to him within the boundaries of Banff National Park."


The Crown had proposed an $8,000 fine, or $1,000 per fish, but Tolpannen decided instead to require Ovens to post details of his plea and sentence to the YouTube channel where the videos are located and send a letter to YouTube's parent company.

Tolpannen has given Ovens six months to pay his fine but wants notice of his posting his sentence on YouTube and a note to Google LLC sent to the Crown for approval within two weeks.

[AK47]

They got away way too easy. So all other charges were dismissed? Just fishing was left? Wondering on what compassionate grounds.

[dustinjoels]

That particular video has 16M views on youtube. That would generate more than enough ad revenue to pay the fine. Penalty should've been at least as much as what his channel was bringing in in revenue.

[bradvtown]

Originally Posted by dustinjoels

That particular video has 16M views on youtube. That would generate more than enough ad revenue to pay the fine. Penalty should've been at least as much as what his channel was bringing in in revenue.

That's my thoughts exactly. Even the apology will generate a ton of views.

[Sundancefisher]

He made far more money off his poaching videos than $6000.

Net profit for him.

[Bushleague]

Originally Posted by H380

Dumb would be the understatement of the century ...but then again they would find themselves in the company of the guys in Sask that posted on social media shooting ducks on a slough with a rimfire out of season and the Prostaff archery hunter shooting elk in Yellowstone with recognizable mountain peaks in the background ...yup they definitely have company..

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I remember watching a "Survivor Man" episode, it was spring in BC and on multiple ocasions he tried throwing his hatchet at grouse... never showed him actually getting one but still..

It seems to me that these survivor types sometimes feel that they are above local game laws, as if they were actually in a survival situation. They seem to have trouble understanding that intentionally going camping without proper provisions is not the same thing.

[goku88]

Originally Posted by Sundancefisher

He made far more money off his poaching videos than $6000.

Net profit for him.

$6000 penalty is a joke.national poacher like that should be $60,000 then they will see profit/fame not out weight penalty

[EZM]

This COULD have been a great opportunity for the crown and prosecution to send a message, educate people and reinforce how serious an offence this is ..... instead they let off a criminal, who clearly, and premeditatedly planned and broke the law, in order to monetize his videos.

I am sickened by this. What a total joke.

[flyrodfisher]

What a joke.
1)Prosecutor asks for only an $8000 fine??? I am sure the legal costs for each side vastly outweigh this. How about adding a lifetime fishing ban to that?

2) "Warrants are outstanding for Fowler, but Ovens agreed to plead guilty to a single charge of illegal fishing under the National Parks Act."
Fowler is still on the run....I guess his actions speak volumes...

3) "Justice Eric Tolppanen of the Alberta Court of Justice disagreed with the Crown position that the accused was attempting to financially benefit from his actions.
Apparently the video has 15+ million views....his youtube revenue for this is way more than $8000


4)"He gave credit to Ovens for an early guilty plea and for attempting to have the videos removed, but said it's a serious matter."

Attempting to have the videos removed???? I believe they are still up there...Even the judge notes that

Sadly, the only message that was sent here is that youtubers only need to weigh the financial gain vs the potential fine before breaking the law...