A Leamington captain has been issued a hefty fine after pleading guilty to commercial fishing violations.
According to Ontario’s Ministry of Natural Resources, Melchiorre Pace, captain of the AD-CO II, has been fined $40,000 for falsifying daily catch reports. Pace has also received a court order requiring him to use commercial fishing boats with GPS units monitored by the ministry for three years.
Conservation officers investigated Pace between May 24 and July 16, 2013, a court heard. It was during this investigation that officers say Pace falsified fishing reports and failed to maintain an accurate fishing logbook.
The matter was heard before a Chatham court on July 10.
