Gore Bay company, boat captains fined for commercial fishing violations

MNR conservation officer Ron Arnold tells of a commercial fishery on Manitoulin Island & two employees pleading guilty to not meeting their licence conditions.

A company based in Gore Bay on Manitoulin Island and two fishing boat captains have been fined for failing to comply with the conditions of their commercial fishing licence.

“The Purvis Bros. Ltd. of Gore Bay pleaded guilty to failing to comply with the conditions of their commercial fishing licence (and) was fined $3,755,” the province said in a news release Friday.

“Anthony Bell of Little Current and Kenneth Smith of Kagawong, boat captains who were employed by The Purvis Bros. Ltd., pleaded guilty to the same offence. Bell was fined $615 and Smith was fined $1,130.”

Daily catch audit

Justice of the Peace Lori-Ann Toulouse heard the case in the Ontario Court of Justice in Gore Bay on Oct. 24, 2024.

“The court heard that a conservation officer conducted an audit of the daily catch reports submitted by the Purvis Bros. Ltd. for the 2022 commercial fishing season,” the release said.

“The audit identified numerous commercial fishing licence conditions that were not met.”

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