A Port Maitland commercial fishing captain pleaded guilty and has been fined $1,000 for a commercial fishing violation on Lake Erie.
Paul Minor, of Wainfleet, pleaded guilty to refusing to provide a sample of fish to a ministry official, as required under the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act.
Minor also pleaded guilty and received a suspended sentence for violating the terms and conditions of his commercial fishing licence under the Ontario Fishery Regulations.
Court heard that on July 13, 2017, a conservation officer with the ministry’s southern marine enforcement unit conducted an investigation into the fishing activities of Minor, captain of the Lincoln R, a commercial fishing vessel.
The investigation determined that on July 4, 2017, a fisheries technician with MNRF’s Lake Erie management unit boarded Minor’s vessel in Port Maitland and requested a sample of fish for biological examination.
MNRF officials say Minor refused to comply with the request.
The investigation also determined that on July 5, 2017, Minor failed to keep his catch in 100-pound containers, making it impossible for the ministry’s port observer to conduct an inspection of his catch. This was a violation of the terms and conditions of his commercial fishing licence.
Justice of the Peace Eileen Walker heard the case in the Ontario Court of Justice in Cayuga, on April 11, 2018.
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.
