RAINY RIVER, Ont. — An American angler who tried to hide baitfish in his vehicle when he entered Ontario at the Rainy River/Baudette, Minnesota border crossing will pay a $1500 fine.
The Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry says a Justice of the Peace handed out the penalty after the Sauk Rapids, Minnesota man pleaded guilty to illegally bringing live baitfish into the province.
Court was told that Canada Border Services Agency officers conducted a secondary inspection on the man's vehicle, and found seven dozen baitfish located in a hidden compartment.
The CBSA then contacted the MNRF, which determined that the angler had been bound for a fishing trip on Lake of the Woods.
Importing live organisms is barred because of the risk that invasive species may threaten aquatic ecosystems and transmit pathogens such as parasites, viruses and bacteria not native to Ontario.
