Two men have been fined a total of $3,000 and have had their fishing licences suspended for fishing offences under the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act and Ontario Fishery Regulations.
Anthony Jewell of Scarborough pleaded guilty and was fined $1,000 for fishing in a closed area and $1,000 for allowing flesh suitable for food to spoil. He was also given a two-year fishing suspension and his fishing equipment was forfeited to the Crown.
Jonathon Deal of Peterborough pleaded guilty and was fined $500 for fishing in a closed area and $500 for allowing flesh suitable for food to spoil. He also was given a two-year fishing suspension and his fishing equipment was forfeited to the Crown.
Court heard that on March 28, 2018, conservation officers with the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry received multiple complaints about anglers fishing for trout in a closed area in the Ganaraska River in Port Hope. As a result of these complaints, officers were able to locate and charge Jewell and Deal. Court took into consideration Jewell’s previous convictions for fishing offences in determining his penalty.
Justice of the Peace Jack Leblanc heard the case in the Ontario Court of Justice, Cobourg, on May 30, 2018.
Anglers are reminded that the all-year open season for rainbow trout, brown trout, Pacific salmon and Atlantic salmon on the Ganaraska River in Port Hope is only between the southerly limit of the Canadian National Railway right-of-way and Lake Ontario.
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
