Three Greater Toronto Area residents have been fined a total of $3,300 for illegal salmon fishing at Bowmanville Creek in Clarington.
Vladimir Mihalenja and Alexandre Chablinski of Richmond Hill and Magamed Magomedov of Toronto pleaded guilty to netting salmon on Bowmanville Creek and were each fined $1,100 last week. In addition to the fines, their fishing nets, chest waders and flashlights were permanently forfeited to the Crown.
The court heard that on the night of Sept. 22, 2011, conservation officers from the Ministry of Natural Resources found the men netting salmon at Bowmanville Creek. The officers saw two of the men scooping up the salmon with landing nets and saw the third, Mr. Chablinski, killing the fish by stamping on them with his boots.
Justice of the Peace Maxine Coopersmith heard the case in the Ontario Court of Justice in Whitby June 6.
Migratory fish, such as trout and salmon, are vulnerable to poaching when they congregate in shallow creeks to spawn. Illegal fishing damages fish populations and threatens the economic and social benefits that healthy fisheries provide to the people of Ontario.
For further information on fishing regulations, consult the 2012 Recreational Fishing Regulations Summary, available at ServiceOntario information centres, licence issuers and at ontario.ca/fishing.
To report a natural resources violation, call 1-877-TIPS-MNR (847-7667) toll-free any time.