Anglers Fined $3,000 for Catching Walleye Out of Season

Walleye. From Wikipedia commons

Walleye. From Wikipedia commons

Two Northwestern Ontario residents have been fined $1,500 each for catching and keeping walleye out of season.   

Kristi Kasprick of Beardmore and Kenneth Labbe of Thunder Bay pleaded guilty to fishing for walleye during the closed season and were each fined $1,500.

Court heard that on May 15, 2015, a day before the opening of walleye season, Kasprick and Labbe were contacted by a conservation officer who was conducting a routine patrol of the Namewaminikan River in Elmhirst Township. Upon inspecting their boat, the officer discovered 12 walleye. Walleye fishing is prohibited on this part of the Namewaminikan River from April 15 to the third Saturday in May each year. 

Justice of the Peace Anna Gibbon heard the case in the Ontario Court of Justice, Nipigon, on September 21, 2015.

The closed season protects walleye during spawning. Every fish removed during spawning has a significant impact on the overall walleye population.

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 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).

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