Four southern Ontario men have been fined a total of $3,200 for keeping undersized Lake Nipissing walleye, contrary to Ontario’s fishery regulations.
Donald Davidson and Christopher Boutet, of Cottam, Ontario, and Kyle Bissonnette and Kenneth Bissonnette, of Essex, Ontario, pleaded guilty to possessing walleye of a prohibited size in the Ontario Court of Justice in North Bay, on April 25.
Davidson was fined $1,200 for possessing three walleye, Boutet and Kyle Bissonnette were both fined $800 for possessing two walleye each, and Kenneth Bissonnette was fined $400 for possessing one walleye.
Court heard that on January 28, conservation officers were on patrol near Deep Water Point on Lake Nipissing. While conducting an inspection, an officer interviewed the four men in an ice hut. The officer noticed one of the anglers was sitting on a pail. Eight prohibited-length walleye, belonging to the men, were discovered in it. The fish were forfeited to the Crown and donated to charity.
The ministry reminds the public that it is illegal to catch and possess any walleye from Lake Nipissing that are less than 46 centimetres (18.1 inches) in length.
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, you can 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.
