Two anglers have been fined a total of $2,500 for having too many yellow perch in their possession.

Oscar Mailloux, of Tilbury, pleaded guilty to possessing 106 yellow perch, which is 56 fish over his legal limit. Andre Caouette, also of Tilbury, pleaded guilty to transporting the over-limit of yellow perch in his boat. Mailloux was fined $2,000, is prohibited from fishing for six months and not allowed to possess fishing equipment, other than at his residence, during this time. Caouette was fined $500.

Court heard that on May 16, 2010, conservation officers from Lake Erie Enforcement Unit were conducting a marine patrol on Lake Erie, near the Town of Leamington, when they came across Mailloux and Caouette fishing for yellow perch. The conservation officers conducted an inspection of the boat and found Mailloux in possession of the over limit of fish.

The fish and fishing equipment were seized by the conservation officers. The fish were forfeited to the Crown and the fishing equipment will be returned after the fines have been paid.

When fish are forfeited to the Crown, if the fish are dead they are usually donated to food banks, shelters, nursing homes, retired people or members of the community that want them to eat. If the fish are still alive then we release them back into the lake.

Justice of the Peace Marsha Miskokoman heard the case in the Ontario Court of Justice, Windsor, on July 19, 2010.

Anglers are reminded that it is illegal to catch and keep an over-limit of fish. An individual may not retain more than the possession limit of that species. Possession includes storing fish at home in freezers or other locations, as well as transporting them, holding them in live wells or eating them as part of a day's meal.

For further information on fishing regulations, please consult the 2010 Recreational Fishing Regulations Summary, available at ServiceOntario/Government Information Centres, licence issuers and at ontario.ca/fishing.