hammercarp Posted October 23, 2013 Report Share Posted October 23, 2013 Posted Today, 08:59 PM Greater Toronto Area Salmon Migration Enforcement Blitz October 21, 2013 The Ministry of Natural Resources laid 90 charges totaling $10,930 in fines during a two weekend enforcement blitz on Lake Ontario tributaries across the Greater Toronto Area. During two weekends in September and October, Ministry of Natural Resources conservation officers from Peterborough, Guelph and Aurora districts, Lake Ontario and the canine unit, along with OPP police officers from Toronto, as well as Durham, Halton and Peel regions, checked over 450 anglers on many of the tributaries. Officers conducted uniformed and plainclothes enforcement operations related to the fall salmon migration. The blitz resulted in 90 charges for a total of $10,930 in fines. The most common offences involved snagging and netting fish, fishing in posted sanctuaries and fishing without a licence. Ten individuals were also issued summonses to appear in court. The Ministry of Natural Resources would like to thank members of the public for making over 110 calls to the MNR TIPS line for suspected unlawful harvesting during this year’s salmon migration across the Greater Toronto Area. The Ministry would like to remind anglers that it is illegal to intentionally hook or pierce a fish other than in the mouth, or use tackle such as large treble hooks weighted with sinkers for the purpose of foul-hooking fish. For further information on fishing regulations, please consult the 2013 Fishing Regulations Summary 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). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
captainplanet Posted October 23, 2013 Report Share Posted October 23, 2013 Wow! I am curious what the ten court summons are about... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
captainonion Posted October 23, 2013 Report Share Posted October 23, 2013 Awesome Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scapulataf Posted October 23, 2013 Report Share Posted October 23, 2013 My landlord told me he saw the cops and MNR down at Bronte a few weeks ago. And last weekend I saw MNR as I was leaving Queenston. As far as I'm concerned? Good. They should do this every weekend. Its also good to see OPP helping out with this, they should be ticketing guys for littering too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jmo1685 Posted October 23, 2013 Report Share Posted October 23, 2013 I was talking to a CO in Jordan this past weekend. Said this year hasn't been that bad. He was telling me be went from Jordan to Grimsby and to Port and had at least over 3000$ fines that day. If I remember correct he said no license is 150$ , snagging is 250$ plus loss of gear. He also said he was ticketing people at Port for fishing too close to the dam. So you're looking at probably an average of 500$ loss to these people... And for what? 1 half dead salmon? Not worth it in my books... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveC Posted October 23, 2013 Report Share Posted October 23, 2013 Great....just wish that would be a more regular occurance. Not really a lot of convictions but none the less its showing a presence and keeping people aware of the consequences of illegal activity. Hope we see much more of it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snakeman4 Posted October 23, 2013 Report Share Posted October 23, 2013 i recently called the MNR to report out of season salmon fishing at my local Go-to salmon picture taking location. I actually got threw to an actual person on the phone line; delivered my message of people fishing out of season, and on a few occurrences there, people intentionally snagging. She told me she would report this information to the reporting CO of that area. I blew that information off as i did not intend to hear back or that anything actually came of this. The very next morning i received a phone call from a CO. He was unaware that salmon were spawning in this particular location, and had a few more questions as to how to get to this location. I gave him as much information as possible, even e-mailed him the google maps co-ordinates and a few pics of the area i had taken with my camera. The Very next day after this, he called me back, informed me he had just charged 4 people from London with snagging and fishing out of season at this location, and that he saved the GPS co-ordinates and added this location to his groups of spots to check. He said the group of fishermen where known offenders to the MNR. This just helps prove that your calls to the MNR do help to protect fish and wildlife, no matter how pointless it seems to call it in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marktheperchman Posted October 23, 2013 Report Share Posted October 23, 2013 as they do more of these blitzes, maybe the word will get out and some people might think twice about what they were doing. as far as calling the tips line, i called in june about oos bass fishing down at poverty bay and a woman took my information and the very next day a CO called me back so at least you know they do follow up Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
perkins Posted October 23, 2013 Report Share Posted October 23, 2013 Maybe with the money theyve made they can hire more conservation officers. Ive called before for oos and they never came, but this is a foot in the right direction. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smerchly Posted October 23, 2013 Report Share Posted October 23, 2013 Good on ya Snakeman 4 ! "Known offenders" or repeat offenders should have to go to court . Their homes should be inspected and computers & cell phones taken for more evidence of poaching . If their final costs come to thousands of dollars , more of these poachers will get the message . TIPS ......"To Investigate Poachers Service" .......keep up the good work guys ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CLofchik Posted October 23, 2013 Report Share Posted October 23, 2013 The sad part is it took pulling in officers from Guelph & Peterborough to check Lake O tribs. Once you add in the overtime & gas $10k probably doesn't come close to just breaking even. Law enforcement in Ontario is all about the money now, those OPP officers probably lay $10k in citations EACH over a weekend. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steelshady Posted October 23, 2013 Report Share Posted October 23, 2013 I was talking to a CO in Jordan this past weekend. Said this year hasn't been that bad. He was telling me be went from Jordan to Grimsby and to Port and had at least over 3000$ fines that day. If I remember correct he said no license is 150$ , snagging is 250$ plus loss of gear. He also said he was ticketing people at Port for fishing too close to the dam. So you're looking at probably an average of 500$ loss to these people... And for what? 1 half dead salmon? Not worth it in my books... You mean casting towards the dam from the fence line? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
perkins Posted October 23, 2013 Report Share Posted October 23, 2013 Ya ontario needs to bump their game up. Alberta has a really good consveration program. I dont think i could go out without seeing a c.o. leaving a spot. Been checked for licenses. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bass2mouth Posted October 23, 2013 Report Share Posted October 23, 2013 Good news for a change! Hope the money goes somewhere usefull Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
briz Posted October 25, 2013 Report Share Posted October 25, 2013 in order for the rules to be followed they must be enforced (yes this costs money and resources) however half of it is conserving what we all legal sportsman like doing and if they enforce it more often they will make money when you take all other actions into consideration, a big one being how much of the funds we pay for to help stock these rivers and all the studies done to back it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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