Boarding a boat?

[uncle 19]

Do I have to let a CO. or a CO. and his dog board my boat?

[Guest MNR]

MNR Answer

To be able to do their job properly and effectively, Conservation Officers must be able to determine who has been fishing or hunting and must also be able to inspect for compliance with various acts and regulations. The fact that you are engaging in a regulated activity (e.g., fishing) means that you could be stopped and checked, either on Crown land, open water, on private property or enroute to or from your destination for compliance with the regulations.

These inspection powers come directly from legislation and case law. For example, in order to enforce the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act and its regulations, a conservation officer has the authority to stop a vehicle, boat or aircraft and the operator must produce for inspection any wildlife, invertebrate, fish, document or anything else requested by the officer. Officers will look (inspect) for fish and wildlife in places that a person would normally expect to find these items. In the case of a boat, it may be necessary for the officer to board the vessel in order to look into live-wells, bait containers or coolers. This also applies to vehicles and aircraft.

Conservation officers in Ontario have enforcement authority under several resource and public safety pieces of legislation. These include:

Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act

Ontario Fishery Regulations

Migratory Birds Convention Act

Endangered Species Act

Provincial Parks Act

Off Road Vehicles Act

Motorized Snow Vehicle Act

Small Vessel Regulations

Liquor Licence Act

Criminal Code of Canada

Forest Fires Prevention Act

Public Lands Act

Lakes and Rivers Improvement Act

Crown Forest Sustainability Act

There are K9 Conservation Officer/dog teams stationed strategically throughout the province. The dogs are trained to find fish, gun powder, moose, deer, bear and birds by using their keen sense of smell. Dogs are an effective enforcement tool and are used regularly during inspections.

During a routine inspection, the Conservation Officer will identify him/herself as an officer and inform the operator of the vessel why they have been stopped, what documents need to be produced and request to see fish or game, bait, firearms, safety equipment etc. These regular field patrols and inspections are a deterrent to people who harvest more fish and game than the law allows.

You may have specific concerns about an officer inspecting your boat. For example, you may be concerned about the officer or the dog encountering loose fishing lures, safety hazards or delicate equipment that could be damaged. If this is the case, explain the situation to the officer and he/she should be able to address your concerns,. However, the officer does have a job to do, and this may still involve boarding your vessel to properly conduct the inspection.