trouble at the border

[chris]

We got two of our fish taken from us at the border because we were told we were over our limit. The resort owner told us our daily limit was two(we had the 7 day conservation license) and our possession limit was four apiece. We brought back 6 fish and apparently our limit was 1 daily and 2 in possession. The border guy says we will probably not be fined, but he doesn't know for sure. Does anyone know if we will be fined or not and exactly what is the limit. We were fishing dogtooth lake in Ontario.

[retire55]

Chris:

I'm assuming walleye was the species and there was 2 guys.

The Ontario fishing regulations state the following - see

http://www.mnr.gov.on.ca/MNR/pubs/pubmenu.html#fish

"Fishery laws limit the number of fish you may catch or possess. The
number depends on the type of licence you hold, the species, where
they are caught and, in some cases, their size. Note that for some
species there are no limits. In these cases no reference will be made
to a limit in this Fishing Summary. The catch limit is the number of fish you are allowed to catch and keep in one day.The possession limit is the number you are allowed to have in your possession on hand, in cold storage, in transit, etc.

Possession limits are the same as one day's catch limit except where
otherwise specified in this summary"

The actual catch and possession limits for that Area of Ontario (Kenora) are found at the same URL but by downloading Map E. There, it states that the catch and possession limit for a Conservation licence is two (2).

Perhaps there's something I don't understand. Jay

[prd1]

The conservation license is two fish in possession. There is no separate possession limit, your daily catch counts against and thus is the possession limit. You can not have two fish in the cabin and legally catch and keep any additional fish. The same is true for the standard license which is four in that area as noted in another post. You need to keep close track of how many are in the freezer and in the boat as that is the limit.

Paul

[JAY WILSON]

Actually it is how many are in the boat + in the freezer + the ones you ate today to make the limit. Just got back & had no problem at the border coming back. They did ask to see the grandsons id's. Later, Jay

[prd1]

Good comment Jay. We don't do shore lunch so I don't always think of that. Per other previous posts people have been checked for this although it's probably difficult for the conservation officer to enforce.

Paul

[Frankie Night Eyes]

This happened to a friend of mine who shall remain nameless. About three years ago, a Custom's agent told him he had to give them his stool sample so they could see if he was over his daily fish limit. My friend told him that his request was absurd, but the agent told him he would have to spend the night in jail if he didn't co-operate. What happened next is unbelievable. The Custom's guy went into the men's bathroom and watched my buddy make #2 into a plastic bucket that was placed in the center of the floor. After a humiliating 10 minutes, he finally managed to pinch his loaf, when the agent then took the bucket, with its contents, into another building for laboratory testing. After a three hour wait he finally came back to my buddy's car and told him he was free to go, and then told him to "watch it" and to "be more cafeful next time". As my friend was driving away he looked in his side mirror and saw the Custom's jerk laughing with another Custom's agent. When he finished his story I laughed so hard that I almost made a stool sample of my own... right in my Fruit of the Looms.

[Peanut]

I think you were the victim/recipient of a tall tale told by your friend.

derrek.

"I'll teach these eyes to see,
beyond these walls in front of me"
- Bruce Springsteen, "Trapped"