July 9, 2021
Manitoba Conservation Officer Resource Enforcement Update
Manitoba Agriculture and Resource Development advises that conservation officers are continuing enforcement to protect Manitoba’s natural resources including compliance checks for fisheries, addressing illegal hunting, and supporting wildfire prevention and suppression.
On June 19, conservation officers from the Riverton Compliance Area were conducting a commercial fishing compliance patrol in the Hollow Water area of Lake Winnipeg. Officers located a boat with three people (helpers) pulling an improperly marked commercial gill net without a licensed commercial fisher present. As a result, two nets, five tubs of fish and various commercial fishing gear was seized. The commercial fisher responsible for the helpers was issued a ticket under section 14.3(4), the Fisheries Act (Manitoba) for failing to participate in fishing CF nets. The set fine for this offence is $486. The commercial fisher had been warned about this practice previously, so the helpers were each issued a ticket, section 6, fishing licensing regulation for commercial fishing without a license. The set fine for this offence is $1,296.
That same day, officers also found a boat with a single fisher pulling a net. The net did not clearly identify the owner, or type of net so the net and one tub of fish was seized. A ticket, section 14(2), fishing licensing regulation for fishing an improperly marked gill net was issued, with a set fine of $672.
The following week, conservation officers from the Riverton District were again conducting commercial fishing compliance in the Hollow Water area on Lake Winnipeg and found a series of illegal commercial fishing nets. Commercial nets in this area must have a mesh size of 89 millimetres (3.5 inches) or larger, but officers found nets in use that measured 80 to 81 mm (3.1 to 3.2 in.). Mesh sizes are regulated to prevent small and immature fish from being caught. Officers seized the nets, and issued a summons under Manitoba Fisheries Regulations, section 45(2). A conviction carries a minimum sentence of a one-year commercial fishing licence suspension.
On June 26, Snow Lake District conservation officers and park patrol officers conducted an aerial patrol of Wekusko Lake following a tip that anglers were fishing in an area that is closed to fishing from April 1 to June 30 to protect spawning walleye. Officers observed a boat with people who appeared to be fishing in the closed area so they launched a boat patrol. Officers found a boat with five occupants fishing several kilometres into the closed area. The anglers were charged under the Manitoba Fishery Regulations for ‘catch and retain fish during the closed time’. Officers seized 17 walleye, five fishing rods and issued restitution notices for the fish that were caught in the closed area. This amounted to $1,435 in fines and $714 in restitution. All fish will be donated to people in need within the community.
Following the successful conclusion of an investigation earlier this year that resulted in a significant seizure of walleye, conservation officers recently donated more than 200 whole walleye to Siloam Mission in Winnipeg. The fish were seized in the spring and had been safely stored until they were cleared for donation. The walleye were seized after officers found people dip netting in the Turtle River, near Ste. Rose du Lac.
For information on the status of fires, maps, travel restrictions, burning permit cancellations or other restrictions go to www.gov.mb.ca/wildfire/ or follow the Twitter account at https://twitter.com/mbgovnews.
Manitoba’s recreational angling and hunting regulations can be found in both the Anglers’ Guide and Hunting Guide. Both documents can be found at www.gov.mb.ca/fish-wildlife/.
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