Andre Malguzzi banned from fishing activities in Ontario for one year following possession of an illegal quantity of fish
THUNDER BAY – NEWS – An Ottawa resident, Andre Malguzzi, was convicted and handed a hefty fine of $10,000 after pleading guilty to possession of fish over the legal limit and in a manner that made them difficult to count. In addition to the fine, Malguzzi has been prohibited from obtaining an Ontario fishing license and engaging in any fishing activities in the province for the next year.
This decision was handed down on April 24, 2023, by Justice of the Peace Nancy Tulloch in the Ontario Court of Justice in Thunder Bay.
The investigation began on June 21, 2021, when conservation officers received a tip about a group of individuals potentially possessing bags of fish in excess of the allowable limit at a remote fly-in fishing camp on Whitewater Lake, north of Armstrong.
Malguzzi was intercepted by conservation officers near Thunder Bay, where a search of his vehicle uncovered a cooler containing eight bags of frozen, skinless fish and one large northern pike. Malguzzi confessed that he was responsible for the fish, which, once thawed, amounted to 140 pieces of fish, composed of 40 walleyes and five northern pike. This quantity exceeded his allowable limit of four walleyes and four northern pike.
The ministry encourages the public to report any potential natural resource violations or provide information about unsolved cases. The ministry’s TIPS line can be reached toll-free at 1-877-847-7667. Alternatively, the public can anonymously call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS. Further information about unsolved cases can be found by visiting ontario.ca/mnrftips.
