Provincial conservation officers are getting tough with people who drive their all-terrain vehicles or dirt bikes on Prince Edward Island's beaches, sand dunes and wetlands.
So far, 70 charges have been laid this summer under the Off-Highway Vehicle Act, and 15 have been laid under the Environmental Protection Act, said Wade MacKinnon, senior conservation officer with the Department of Environment, Energy and Forestry, on Monday.
"The issue of off-highway vehicles is our No. 1 complaint at present," MacKinnon said.
"We get several complaints daily either about off-highway vehicles being on the beaches, wetlands, dunes, on the highway, on the Confederation Trail, trespassing on farmers' fields. It has become quite an issue for us."
The off-road vehicles can also disturb habitat for endangered species such as the piping plover, he said.
Two extra conservation officers have been hired this summer to help beef up enforcement, bringing the total complement of officers to nine.
Offenders can face fines of $270 and have their vehicles seized.
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