Decision Date: January 31, 2005

Panel: Lynne Huestis

Keywords: Wildlife Act – s. 24; angling licence; cancellation; period of ineligibility

Ronald Traverse appealed a decision of the Deputy Director of Wildlife, cancelling his angling licence and prohibiting him from obtaining an angling licence for a five year period.  Mr. Traverse asked that the Board shorten the prohibition period to four years.

The Board agreed with Mr. Traverse, that the length of the prohibition imposed on him was not comparable to the four-year prohibition imposed on Mr. Bond, who was involved in the same illegal fishing incident that led to the Deputy Director’s decision regarding Mr. Traverse’s angling licence.  The Board found that there was no evidence to explain the difference in the length of the prohibitions, and that it was unclear as to why age was not considered in Mr. Traverse’s case, but was considered in the case of Mr. Bond.  The Board determined that a greater deterrence was not required in the case of Mr. Traverse, and that the length of the prohibition imposed on him should be reduced to four years.  The appeal was allowed.