KAWARTHA LAKES — A total of eight people, all from the Greater Toronto Area, were fined close to $5,000 for illegal fishing practices near sanctuaries in Kawartha Lakes.
All told, 13 people were charged by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry during a one-week enforcement blitz back in May. Eight of the accused appeared before Justice of the Peace Martha De Gannes in Lindsay June 23, resulting in numerous convictions and fines being doled out.
Guoxin Zhang of Toronto, Marko Mihailovic of Toronto, Ian Martin of North York and Ligiang Lui of Scarborough all pleaded guilty to fishing in a fish sanctuary and were each fined $500.
Xianlin Yu and Qi Wen He of Markham also pleaded guilty to fishing in a fish sanctuary and each fined $750.
Se King Wu of Markham pleaded guilty to fishing without a licence and was fined $500.
Cong Luu of Toronto, pleaded guilty to fishing in a fish sanctuary and without a licence and was fined a total of $750.
To learn more about fishing regulations, check out the Ontario Fishing Regulations Summary at ontario.ca/fishing.
To report a violation to the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry, call their tips line at 1-877-847-7667 or make an anonymous tip through Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS.