Total of $2,000 in Fines for Too Many Fish

Walleye. From Wikipedia commons

Walleye. From Wikipedia commons

Two southern Ontario men have pleaded guilty to possessing an over-limit of walleye.

Garry Wincherook of Metcalfe and Robert Best of Lakefield were each fined $1,000 for possessing nine fish over the legal limit allowed by their sport fishing licences.

The court heard that on June 10, 2014, Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry conservation officers contacted the men during a marine patrol on Chipman Lake, 40 kilometres northeast of Longlac, east of Lake Nipigon. The men said they had a total of five walleye between them, but officers soon discovered they had 11, including six hidden in a pail under their bait bucket. Upon further investigation, officers discovered they had another six walleye at the resort where they were staying. Wincherook and Best had a total of 17 walleye, but the legal limit per sport fishing licence is four in Fisheries Management Zone 7. All of the fish were seized and forfeited to the Crown.

Justice of the Peace Joseph Caron heard the case in the Ontario Court of Justice, Geraldton, on August 26, 2014.

For further information on fishing regulations, please consult the Recreational Fishing Regulations Summary, available at ontario.ca/fishing.

To report a natural resources violation, call the MNR TIPS line at 1-877-847-7667 toll-free any time or contact your local ministry office during regular business hours. You can also call Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).

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