Illegal fishing has two Essex County residents fined a total of $1,500.
Richard Ouellette from Pelee Island and Terrence Collins from Oldcastle were eached fined $750 for a catching baitfish in Lake Erie with seine nets which were also longer than allowed. The two nets were forfeited as part of the fine.
The Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry says a conservation officer patrolling on Pelee Island spotted the two men, who had been fishing for baitfish with the big nets. The officer determined the two men didn't have the appropriate licences to be fishing with commercial equipment.
The decision from Justice of the Peace, Calvin Hurst, was handed down on May 15.
The MNRF reminds anglers only commercially licensed baitfish harvesters are allowed to use sein nets for batifish while resident anglers with a valid licence are permitted to capture baitfish using only dip-nets in daylight hours or with a single baitfish trap day or night.