Anglers Fined For Violations On Northern Lake

Anglers Fined For Violations On Northern Lake

Friday, October 17, 2008 at 14:38

 

 

Grossly overfishing a “catch and release” lake in northern Saskatchewan has resulted in heavy fines for two anglers in the province.

 

Prince Albert’s Jason Paulsen and Christopher Lake’s Bernard Wiberg have each been fined $7,750 for fisheries violations on Waterbury Lake — just north of Cigar Lake.

 

The men were apprehended in La Ronge in September of last year on their way south from a fishing expedition on the lake.

 

Saskatchewan Environment spokesman Gary Provencher says conservation officers received several tips from the public — and a search of the fishers’ vehicle and trailer revealed excessive over-limits of fish.

 

He says they were 55 lake trout over their limit — eight of which were above the maximum allowable size.

 

Provencher notes conservation officers can issue voluntary fines for fishers that go over catch limits, but in this case, he says Saskatchewan Environment “had to go to court with it”.

 

Provencher believes these are the largest fines levied to individual fishers for this type of offence.

 

The men’s boat, motor and fishing equipment have been forfeited to the Crown.