Two Newmarket residents have pleaded guilty to illegal angling in Parry Sound.
Seng Chiong Choo pleaded guilty to catching and retaining bass during the closed season and fishing with extra lines and fined a total of $2,500, according to a Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry news release.
In addition, he is prohibited from possessing an Ontario fishing licence and engaging in any fishing activity in Ontario for two years. His fishing equipment was forfeited to the Crown.
Bao Yi Dai pleaded guilty to catching and retaining bass during the closed season and fined $1,500. She is also prohibited from possessing an Ontario fishing licence and engaging in any fishing activity in Ontario for one year, the ministry said. Her fishing equipment was also forfeited to the Crown.
The court heard that on Jan. 8, 2023, conservation officers observed Choo and Dai ice fishing on a small lake within the Parry Sound District. Officers watched the two anglers catch and retain multiple bass and Choo was observed angling through the ice using five lines, the ministry said.
The anglers were contacted as they were leaving the area and produced a bucket containing only black crappie and yellow perch for inspection. A further inspection revealed that the anglers had hidden a bag containing nine largemouth bass inside a collapsed portable fish hut.
Justice of the Peace Christine Leclair heard the case remotely in the Ontario Court of Justice, Parry Sound, on March 7, 2023.
To report a natural resource problem or provide information about an unsolved case, members of the public can call the ministry TIPS line toll free at 1-877-847-7667. You can also call Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-TIPS. For more information about unsolved cases, please visit ontario.ca/mnrftips.
