Ministry of Natural Resources News Release;Â
Most of the anglers checked during a recent enforcement blitz of local fishing hot spots in the Niagara Region and Haldimand County were obeying Ontario’s fishing regulations.
 Ministry of Natural Resources conservation officers conducted a plain-clothes enforcement operation over two weekends between Friday, July 11, and Sunday, July 20, 2008.  Â
A team of conservation officers from the
Officers were working with information received in 2007 from the TIPS toll-free line and information gathered locally.
The conservation officers contacted 430 people during the blitz. A total of 57 charges and 21 warnings were issued for offences related to fishing, including:
·        exceeding the daily catch limit for bass (daily limit is six and daily conservation limit is two)
·        possession and use of gobies as bait
·        fishing without a licence
·        fishing with more than one line
·        failure to produce a fishing licence
·        trespassing on property for the purpose of fishing
·        possession of open liquor.
The set fines imposed for these offences totalled $9,985.00
For more information on fishing regulations, please consult the 2008-2009 Recreational Fishing Regulations Summary available from licence issuers, ServiceOntario/Government Information Centres, and on the ministry’s website 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).Â