A commercial fishing captain operating out of Port Stanley has been fined $11,000 for failing to follow licence conditions while fishing on Lake Erie. Between July 28 and August 18, 2023, the captain of the Theresa Maria did not properly record fishing activities in the vessel’s logbook and provided false information about the location of gill nets.
The Ontario Court of Justice in St. Thomas also issued a court order requiring the captain to operate only commercial fishing vessels equipped with monitored GPS systems. The commercial licence holder—a corporation based in Leamington—was fined $2,500 after pleading guilty to being a party to the same offence.
Commercial fishing on Lake Erie is closely regulated by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry (MNRF) through strict licence conditions. The MNRF help protect fish populations and ensure long-term sustainability. These cases were heard between December 11, 2024, and January 6, 2025.
The ministry encourages anyone who witnesses illegal fishing or hunting activities to contact the MNR TIPS line at 1-877-847-7667 or report anonymously to Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS.
Written by Jeremy Hall