The Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR) has fined a man $4,500 for commercial fishing violations on Lake Erie.
A release from MNR said that Robert Johnston, the captain of a commercial fishing vessel, set gill nets in March 2025, with some of those nets being lost and abandoned. The Ministry added that conservation officers became aware of the nets following a complaint from the public.
The owner of the net was determined following an investigation.
In court, Johnston pleaded guilty to a number of charges, including failing to retrieve gill nets from Lake Erie within eight days, failing to report lost nets to a conservation officer, allowing fish suitable for human consumption to spoil, failing to submit an accurate and complete daily catch report, and failing to maintain an accurate and complete logbook.
To report a natural resource problem or provide information about an unsolved case, members of the public can contact the ministry at 1-877-847-7667, or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS.
