Group from southern Ont. fined for illegal fishing in northern Ont.

Four people from southern Ontario have been fined a total of $4,250 for multiple fishing offences in a lake near Temiskaming Shores.

The case stems from an investigation by the Ministry of Natural Resources that uncovered offences under the Ontario Fishery Regulations, the Public Lands Act and the Motorized Snow Vehicles Act.

“The Ontario Court of Justice heard that on March 2, 2024, conservation officers were conducting a remote snowmobile patrol on Lady Evelyn Lake when they stopped four men who had been fishing,” the MNR said in a court bulletin July 3.

“During the inspection, officers seized eight lake trout, four of which were over the allowed slot size. One individual from the group did not possess a fishing licence but had caught and was in possession of two lake trout.”

Conservation officers then followed a set of snowmobile tracks to a back lake, where they discovered garbage scattered across the ice.

Lake trout seized

“One of the lake trout seized by the officers was missing half of its tail fin,” the MNR said.

“The other half was found among the garbage on the back lake, confirming the group had left the litter. The garbage was subsequently cleaned up.”

Nicola Mirabelli and Tommaso Mirabelli of North York pleaded guilty to possessing lake trout of a prohibited size and unlawfully depositing material on ice. They were fined $980 each.

Andrea Bartucci of North York pleaded guilty to possessing lake trout of a prohibited size, failing to produce evidence of insurance and unlawfully depositing material on ice. He was fined $1,090.

Frank Raimondo of North York pleaded guilty to fishing without a licence, failing to produce evidence of insurance, failing to display a registration number and unlawfully depositing material on ice. He was fined $1,200.

Justice of the Peace Christine C. Leclair heard the case in the Ontario Court of Justice in Haileybury on Nov. 6, 2025.

To report a natural resource problem or provide information about an unsolved case, members of the public can call the ministry TIPS line toll-free at 1-877-847-7667.

You can also call Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-TIPS. For more information about unsolved cases, click here.