file photo of the L.R. Jackson

January 13, 2013: A Port Stanley commercial fishing licence holder and a Lake Erie commercial fishing boat captain have been fined $5,000 each for commercial fishing violations.

L.R. Jackson Fisheries Limited of Port Stanley and Shawn Cook, captain of the commercial fishing vessel L.R. Jackson, also of Port Stanley, pleaded guilty to violating the terms and conditions of a commercial fishing licence.

An investigation conducted by the Ministry of Natural Resources found that between March 28 and April 4, 2012, while fishing under the authority of the company's commercial fishing licence, Shawn Cook failed to maintain a complete commercial fishing logbook as required by a condition of the licence. In addition, Cook submitted a daily catch report that contained false information regarding the length of gill nets that were set.

L.R. Jackson Fisheries Limited and Shawn Cook were each fined $2,500 for submitting the report containing false information, and $2,500 for failing to maintain a complete commercial fishing logbook. The court also ordered that, for the period of one year, Cook must have a GPS unit monitored by the ministry installed in any commercial fishing vessel he operates.

In addition to the penalties assessed by the court, the ministry will be making a licence condition change to the company's commercial fishing licences. This change will require any commercial fishing vessel operating under these licences to have a GPS unit monitored by the ministry installed prior to engaging in any commercial fishing activities.

Justice of the Peace Cheri Emrich heard the case against L.R. Jackson Fisheries on December 21, 2012, and the case against Shawn Cook on January 4, 2013, both in the Ontario Court of Justice, St. Thomas.