Two men have been fined a total of $3,000 for a fishing offence under the Ontario Fishery Regulations.
Nazmi Salman of Scarborough and Leno Mercieca of Blackstock pleaded guilty and were each fined $1,500 for fishing in a fish sanctuary. They were also each given a one-year fishing suspension.
Court heard that on May 18, 2018, Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry conservation officers observed Salman and Mercieca fishing in a fish sanctuary at the Buckhorn dam in Peterborough County. Both men caught and retained several walleye despite clearly marked signs indicating a fish sanctuary was in effect in the area.
Justice of the Peace Jason Mariasine heard the case in the Ontario Court of Justice, Peterborough, on June 14, 2018.
The ministry reminds anglers that fishing regulations are in place to maintain a sustainable fishery for future generations to enjoy. For more information on fishing regulations, please consult the Ontario Fishing Regulations Summary available at ontario.ca/fishing.
To report a natural resources violation, call the MNRF 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). And visit Ontario.ca/mnrftips to view an interactive, searchable map of unsolved cases. You may be able to provide information that will help solve a case.
Author: Pete Fisher
Has been a photojournalist for over 30-years and have been honoured to win numerous awards for photography and writing over the years. Best selling author for the book Highway of Heroes - True Patriot Love
