Guide Fined $1,000 For Oversized Fish
A Thunder Bay man working as a fishing guide was fined $1,000 for having 10 oversized bass in his possession.
Scott Baxter was charged under the Fish and Wildlife Act. The fish were forfeited to the Crown.
Court heard that on June 4, 2010, conservation officers stopped Baxter and three people he was guiding at the Marmion Lake landing north of Atikokan. Officers found 10 oversized bass among the group’s catch. Baxter claimed responsibility for all fish caught. In this fisheries management zone, the Ontario Fishing Regulations stipulate that between January 1 and June 30 and between December 1 and December 31 inclusive, there is a limit of two bass and they must be less than 35 centimetres in length.
Justice of the Peace Pat Clydesdale-Cornell heard the case in the Ontario Court of Justice, Atikokan, on July 22, 2010.
The ministry reminds anglers that it is illegal to catch and keep large quantities of fish. An individual may not have more fish than the possession limit of that species. Possession includes storing fish at home, at other locations or in freezers, as well as transporting them, holding them in live wells or having eaten them as part of a day’s meal.
For more information on fishing regulations, please consult the 2010 Recreational Fishing Regulations Summary before heading out to fish. The summary is also available at ServiceOntario/Government Information Centres, licence issuers and on the ministry’s website (ontario.ca/fishing).
To report a natural resources violation, call 1-877-TIPS-MNR (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)
Dave Saunders, Fort Frances District, 807-274-8635
