A total fine of $5,500 has been slapped on a Leamington fishing boat captain and a commercial fishing for leaving gill nets in an icy Lake Erie in 2009. The Family Fish Company Ltd., which owned the commercial fishing licence, and Helio Ferreira, the captain of a commercial fishing boat, pleaded guilty to one count each of violating the terms and conditions of a commercial fishing licence.
According to a Ministry of Natural Resources news release initial probe found that on March 9, 2009, about 3,475 metres of gill netting was set in Lake Erie but could not be brought back in the boat because of ice buildup and conditions on the lake. Licences allow gill nets to be in the lake for up to eight days during the winter fishing season. In the meantime, an Erieau commercial fisherman has been fined $3,500 for fishing violations on Lake Erie.
The news release states that Richard Jackson pleaded guilty to five counts of violating the terms and conditions of his fishing licence. Independent investigations by the Lake Erie Enforcement Unit found Jackson had submitted “falsified and inaccurate” daily catch reports in 2009 including failing to report 104 kilograms of walleye on a daily catch report.
