Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry release
A Minnesota man has been fined for a bait violation.
Carl W. Brandt of Forest Lake pleaded guilty and was fined $1,500 for illegally bringing live leeches into Ontario.
Court heard that on June 27, 2017, Canada Border Services Agency officers at the Fort Frances port of entry contacted Brandt and conducted a secondary inspection of his vehicle. During the inspection, officers located a cooler that was filled with paper bedding and worms. Officers dug through the bedding and located two plastic bags that contained four pounds of live leeches. Conservation officers then verified that Brandt was on his way fishing and was intending to use the leeches as bait.
Justice of the Peace Tom Logan heard the case in the Ontario Court of Justice, Fort Frances, on November 24, 2017.
The ministry reminds the public that importing live organisms can threaten aquatic ecosystems by introducing invasive species, and transmitting pathogens such as parasites, viruses and bacteria not native to Ontario.
For further information on fishing regulations, please consult the Ontario Fishing Regulations Summary, available at ontario.ca/fishing.
To report a natural resources violation, call the MNRF TIPS line at 1-877-847-7667 toll-free any time or contact your local ministry office during regular business hours. You can also call Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).
