**MNRF NEWS RELEASE**

The Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry laid 28 charges and issued 48 warnings during May long weekend inspections in Timmins and the surrounding area.

From May 18 to 21, 2018, conservation officers from Timmins and Gogama, along with the regional canine unit, conducted compliance checks on 540 individuals. Officers focused on hunter safety, as well as compliance with the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act and the Ontario Fishery Regulations.

Charges and warnings were issued for:

? possessing more than the legal limit of fish
? possessing too many walleye over 46 centimetres
? fishing in a fish sanctuary
? packaging fish so that the species could not be counted or identified
? fishing without a licence
? failing to produce a licence for a conservation officer
? unlawfully depositing garbage on Crown land
? leaving a camping trailer on Crown land for more than 21 days
? operating a vessel without the required life jackets and safety equipment
? having open liquor in a public place
? operating an off-road vehicle without a helmet
? operating an off-road vehicle with no insurance

For further information on hunting regulations, please consult the 2018 Hunting Regulations Summary available at ontario.ca/hunting. For further information on fishing regulations, consult the 2018 Recreational Fishing Regulations Summary available at ontario.ca/fishing.

To report a natural resources violation, call the MNRF TIPS line at 1-877-847-7667 toll-free any time or contact your local ministry office during regular business hours. You can also call Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477). And visit Ontario.ca/mnrftips to view an interactive, searchable map of unsolved cases. You may be able to provide information that will help solve a case.