25 convicted of illegal walleye fishing in Lake Erie

PORT CLINTON - Twenty-five fishermen — 24 from Wisconsin and one from Ohio — were convicted in Ottawa County Municipal Court for exceeding the daily limit of walleye during an excursion on Lake Erie, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources.

ODNR Division of Wildlife officials responded to complaints from the public that the anglers from Wisconsin were exceeding the daily possession limit of the popular game fish, which Ohio law sets at six per person between May 2016 and February 2017.

The violations occurred in May and the fishermen were recently convicted, the ODNR said Friday in a news release.

State wildlife officers and investigators contacted the suspects and discovered more than 500 pounds of walleye, most of it cut into chunks in an apparent effort to disguise the number of fish kept, the ODNR said.

Ohio law states that fillets must be kept whole until anglers reach their permanent residence, or until the fish are prepared for immediate consumption, because of instances like this, the ODNR said.

The 25 individuals were issued a total of 46 summonses for possession of cut fillets and 2 summonses for keeping more than the limit of walleye.

The defendants were found guilty and ordered to pay $1,472 in fines and $1,856 in court costs, according to the ODNR.

The seized walleye was forfeited to the ODNR Divsiion of Wildlife and donated to the Luther Home of Mercy in Ottawa County, the Ohio Veterans Home in Sandusky County and the Erie County Care Facility.

"The willingness of law-abiding citizens to provide information concerning illegal taking of wildlife is necessary for officers to effectively enforce wildlife laws," the ODNR said

The hometown of the Ohio angler involved was not available Friday from ODNR.