An Abbotsford man was fined and convicted this morning, Nov. 13, for trafficking in bear parts.
Hong Tao Yang, 52, pleaded guilty to three counts under sections of the Wildlife Act following undercover operations in Maple Ridge in 2022 and 2023.
He was fined $8,625 in the decision by Judge Nicholas Preovolos in Port Coquitlam Provincial Court.
The court heard how Yang was approached three times by undercover conservation officers to buy bear paws and knee caps. Each time, he was warned that his purchases were illegal, the court heard.
Yang contended he wanted the animal parts for personal use for cultural and traditional purposes — not for commercial reasons.
“By engaging in illegal transactions, Mr. Yang unwittingly or not became part of a serious problem which is the illegal trafficking of wildlife meat,” Preovolos said, noting wildlife trafficking creates a market for the product.
“This is not a trivial offence.”
Yang, a scrapyard worker and father of two, has 18 months to pay the penalty.
The remaining charge was stayed by the Crown.
After the decision, Jordan Ferguson of the B.C. Conservation Service said marketing wildlife parts is becoming more common.
“I think it’s a good precedent to get the message out there that the Conservation Service Office takes these things seriously and we do follow up with reports of trafficking,” he told reporters.
He said the fine is consistent with similar convictions around the province.
“Being in possession of these parts is illegal — no matter if it is just for personal use,” Ferguson added.
“As the judge said, when you create a market, just by purchasing these items, it can kind of escalate and, if more people start doing it, then we have issues with animal populations.”
