Two Markham men have been fined a total of $4,000 for catching and keeping more sunfish than permitted.
Caifu Wu and Li Hai Wu pleaded guilty to catching and keeping more than the conservation license limit of sunfish and were each fined $2,000. Both men had their fishing licenses suspended for one year. They also pleaded guilty to transporting fish unlawfully taken and both received a suspended sentence.
Court heard that on May 6, 2014, the two men were angling on the shores of Lake Simcoe when they were checked by York Regional Police officers. The officers determined the men were over their limit of sunfish. The information was passed on to a conservation officer with the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry for investigation. The two had 236 sunfish, 186 more than allowed under a conservation fishing license.
Justice of the Peace Marie-Christine Smythe heard the case in the Ontario Court of Justice, Newmarket, on March 30, 2015.
For further 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).
Image source: http://www.ontario.ca/document/2015-ontario-fishing-regulations-summary
