A Canadian fisherman was fined $4,500 for violating Lake Erie fishing rules, including failing to retrieve nets and reporting false catch data.

Robert Johnston, a Wheatley man and captain of the vessel Dorothy J, was fined $4,500 in October 2025 by the Ontario Court of Justice for multiple commercial fishing violations on Lake Erie, including failing to retrieve gill nets within eight days, not reporting lost nets, allowing fish to spoil, submitting inaccurate catch reports, and maintaining incomplete records. The violations were linked to an abandoned net found in March 2025 following a public complaint, with an investigation confirming nets were set on March 3 and some were lost. The case was heard in Windsor by Justice of the Peace Maureen Ryan-Brode. Commercial fishing on Lake Erie requires licensed permits with strict rules to protect fish populations. The public is urged to report natural resource concerns through the MNR’s TIPS line or Crime Stoppers.