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On Aug. 21, 2025, conservation officers investigated a man who had been fishing from a rowboat on Sec Lake, located in Fisheries Management Zone 15. The inspection on the water revealed the man was in possession of a mix of 38 largemouth and smallmouth bass, the Ministry of Natural Resources said in a news release.
At the man’s waterfront campsite, 35 more bass were located in coolers, bags and pans. The sport fishing possession limit for largemouth and smallmouth bass combined in that zone is six, and the man was found to be in possession of 73 bass.
Mykola Bondaruk pleaded guilty to possessing 67 bass over the legal limit. He was fined $5,000 and prohibited from all fishing-related activities in Ontario for one year.
Justice of the Peace Jennifer L. Grant heard the case in Pembroke on Nov. 17, 2025.
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that's not "overfishing" that's blatant and callous disregard for both the rules and laws, it should have been $1000 PER fish and a lifetime ban. A $5000 fine doesn't even cover the cost of stocking and enforcement, never mind court time, and serves as no deterrent at all- I can guarantee that if catch and possession limits mean so little to him, come June he'll be back out there, licence or not...
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