Limits of Fish

[gsambray 172]

kind of an odd question that came up at work one day. if you are only allowed to be in possession of 4 walleye, and you stop say at metro and buy 6 walleye worth of fillets wouldn't you technically be over limit? and being transported without a patch of skin? If you cannot prove you purchased them in a store is there a possibility of fines? I know most people say it will be in a bag with the store name on it but people who are not honest can just use the same bag for caught walleye.

[Guest MNR]

Ontario’s catch and possession limits for fishing are easy to understand. The limit of fish by species you are allowed to keep includes fish in the boat and the ones you have in your freezer or elsewhere. As an example; you’re fishing in FMZ 6 and have 2 walleye in the boat but you also have 4 in the freezer at home. You are 2 fish over your catch and possession limit. Example 2; you catch 4 walleye in the morning and then have a shore lunch consuming all of the fish. You then go out and catch 4 more in the afternoon. You’ve caught 4 more fish than you are allowed to catch in one day. You cannot “party fish” either. That means you can’t fill another person’s daily catch limit.

Commercially caught fish don’t form part of your catch and possession limit. They were caught under the authority of a commercial fishing licence. You will not likely be stopped by a Conservation Officer on your way home from Safeway.

If you were stopped coming home from Lac Des Milles Lacs and tried to convince an officer that the extra fish in the Safeway bag were commercially caught and you couldn’t produce a receipt (and there’s no commercial licence in the area)…..that’s a good one. Expect a ticket or an invitation to court.