Quinte Fishing

Thanks to Markus for finding this one on TFN News Wire:



NEW: MEN CLAIMING METIS STATUS FINED FOR FISHERIES OFFENCES
Spiel -- Mon, Oct/31/05

October 27, 2005

NAPANEE - Four southern Ontario men, who unsuccessfully raised Métis rights as a defence, have been fined $550 for fishing violations in a Napanee fish sanctuary.

Robert Lloyd, 59, Edward Lloyd, 48, and Marlon Lloyd, 30, all of Northbrook, and Scott Lloyd, 32, of Scarborough, were found guilty of fishing in a fish sanctuary and were fined $100 each. They were also found guilty of unlawfully possessing fish and given a suspended sentence. In addition, Robert and Scott Lloyd were found guilty of possessing a spear within 30 metres of the water's edge and fined $75 each.

Court heard that on April 14, 2001, the Lloyds caught 18 walleye from the fish sanctuary on the Napanee River by using spears. Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR) Peterborough District conservation officers stopped the men near shore.

The four men, members of the Ontario Métis Aboriginal Association, claimed they were exercising their right to fish but Justice of the Peace Marilyn Robins ruled their claims did not meet the definition of a Métis community as set out by the Supreme Court of Canada in the Powley decision of September 2003.

Justice of the Peace Marilyn Robins heard the case in the Ontario Court of Justice, Napanee, on October 25, 2005.

Call 1-877-TIPS-MNR (847-7667) toll-free any time to report a natural resources violation or contact your local ministry office during regular business hours. You can also call Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).

www.ocoa.ca

they should have done time
that would give them a "mind sticker" for sure !
blue

My hat is off to the CO's involved and to the media relations staff for putting this out to the media. Long overdue.

Playing the band card or the new Metis status, by people that have no more legitimate lineage than I, has provided a suspected very, very large influx of poaching. I hope that at some point the local Mohawks put some pressure to have this stopped (not asking for identification) given that this affects them as well. Heck, I would like to see the local Mohawk polici ng staff challenge some of these impersonators themselves, given that it is a bad deal for everyone. Netting of course is the worst in my opinion, and yes it has been done by non native people that come to the area, year after year.

I am surprised that this has taken so long to get a remotely decent conviction to showcase. The antics that go on at Springside Park and other locations is atrocious, considering it is such a high profile public viewing location. I have been made aware in June while visiting back home, of at least one highly visible non native minority couple, taking advantage of this unofficially sanctioned free for all during the same time period as the spearing charges laid against the people listed in the MNR press release.

The fact remains that enforcement activitys need to be at least a legitimate flag waving exercise during times like the walleye spawn in the spring and the salmon run in the fall. It does not take a huge staff or budget allocation. It does take some legitimate leadership to make and back up the mandate. I hope that these convictions signal a move, to providing this long overdue leadership, during vulnerable periods in the area.

Regards
Don Stokes

Right on superdad.

Post all of that you can. In this day and age everyone must be responsible and practice conservation. Not unlike the "caveman" post, there are those in every community that just don't give a rats ..., about anything.
I wonder, were the CO's tipped off? Or was it by chance?
If my walleye was 1/8" off the regs, would I get such a sweet deal?

slug