KENORA – A fishing party of four has been convicted of possessing more than their limit of walleye. Roger Marion and Donalda Zoratti, both of Kenora, and Cyril Taylor and Solange Taylor, both of Winnipeg, all pleaded guilty to possessing an over-limit of walleye and were each fined $600. They had a total of 16 walleye over their collective legal possession limit.
The court heard that while conducting a marine fisheries patrol on May 16, 2010, Ministry of Natural Resources conservation officers contacted the group on a houseboat on Lake of the Woods. The group was found to have their legal possession limit of walleye — four each for a total of 16 — in the live well of their fishing boat. Conservation officers then determined that they also had an additional 16 walleye on their houseboat. The over-limit fish were forfeited to the Crown.
Justice of the Peace Pat Clysdale-Cornell heard the case in the Ontario Court of Justice, Fort Frances, on August 13, 2010.
The ministry reminds anglers that it is illegal to catch and keep large quantities of fish. An individual may not have more fish than the possession limit of that species. Possession includes storing fish at home, at other locations or in freezers, as well as transporting them and holding them in live wells.