MULTI-AGENCY ROAD CHECK FINDS MOST ANGLERS OBEYING RULES

Ministry of Natural Resources conservation officers laid 33 charges and issued 17 warnings after checking 877 individuals over three days at a fish check station on Highway 17 at Agawa Bay, 90 kilometres south of Wawa.

Conservation officers from Wawa District, with the assistance of conservation officers from the northeast and northwest regions, the Ontario Provincial Police, Ontario Parks wardens and fisheries officers from the Department of Fisheries and Oceans, checked vehicles at the station from Friday, May 29, 2009, to Sunday May 31, 2009.

As a result of the road check, charges were laid for the following offences:

• 21 charges for having more than the allowed limit of fish
• Nine charges for not packaging fish so they can easily be counted and identified
• One charge for angling without a licence
• One charge for illegally sport fishing with a dip-net, seine or bait fish trap
• One charge for using live fish for bait in specified waters.

More charges may be laid pending further investigation.

For further information on Ontario fishing regulations, please consult the 2008-2009 Recreational Fishing Regulations Summary, available at ServiceOntario/Government Information Centres, licence issuers and at ontario.ca/fishing.

To report a natural resources violation, call 1-877-TIPS-MNR (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).

www.ocoa.ca