Ten people commercial fishing without the required equipment and licenses now have large tickets to pay.

In the month of June, provincial conservation officers were on patrol when three incidents occurred.

On June 19, officers in the Hollow Water area of Lake Winnipeg spotted three people, whom they call helpers, pulling an improperly marked commercial gill net in without a licenced commercial fisher. All three were ticketed $486. The commercial fisher had previously been warned that they needed to be with the helpers. Now, the trio will need to pay a $1,296 fine. Two nets, five tubs of fish, and various commercial fishing gear were seized by the officers.

Later that day the officers saw a lone fisher pulling in a net. When they got closer, they realized the net was not clearly identifying the owner. They then seized the tub of fish, ticketing the fisher $672.

Next week in the same area a series of illegal commercial fishing nets were found and seized. There were no tickets, but a summons under the Manitoba Fisheries Regulations was issued. If convicted it will be a minimum of a one-year commercial fishing licence suspension. 

Moving out of this area to Wekusko Lake, an aerial patrol working on a tip spotted a boat in a closed area. Launching a boat, officers approached them, charging the five fishers. They all have $1,435 in fines and facing $714 each in restitution. The fish was donated to the community.

Conservation officers donate seized fish to avoid wastage. In the spring, more than 200 whole walleye were donated to Siloam Mission in Winnipeg.