Manitoba fishery offences moved to tickets

Summary#

These final rules, the Regulations Amending the Contraventions Regulations, add offences from the Manitoba Fishery Regulations, 1987 to the federal ticketing system. They let enforcement officers in Manitoba issue contravention tickets (fines) for 44 existing fishery offences instead of using longer court procedures. The regulations were registered and came into force on November 29, 2024.

What it does#

• Adds a new Part IX to Schedule II.1 of the Contraventions Regulations that lists 44 Manitoba fishery offences as contraventions.
  • The fines set range from $100 to $500, with some offences carrying a base fine plus an extra $100 per additional item up to $1,000 (for example: $200 + $100 per extra fish, max $1,000).
  • Example entries: fishing without a general permit — $225; illegal gill net mesh size — $500.
• Changes section 3 of the Contraventions Regulations to clarify how “additional” fine amounts are applied when a quota or limit is exceeded: the first item that breaks the limit triggers the base fine and is not charged the extra amount; the extra amount applies starting with the second item that exceeds the limit.
• Confirms the rules take effect on the registration date (November 29, 2024).

Who's affected#

• People who fish in Manitoba — both recreational anglers and commercial fishers — because many common fishery offences in the province now carry set ticket fines.
• Enforcement bodies in Manitoba, including provincial staff and Fisheries and Oceans Canada, because they will use the Contraventions Regime (ticketing) instead of the older Fisheries Act ticketing process.
• Manitoba court and administrative systems that process contravention tickets (provincial systems will handle those tickets under the Contraventions Act framework).
• Indigenous communities: the government says this change does not alter harvesting rights or expand ticketing of subsistence fishing. The source notes Metis harvest rights are recognized in a specific area and that ticketing practices for Indigenous people are not intended to change; if this is important to you, the source’s explanation is the main reference.

Why it matters#

• Tickets are a quicker, lower‑burden way to deal with minor fishery offences than criminal court. That means faster outcomes for people who are fined and fewer court resources used.
• Using the same ticketing system that other provinces use should make enforcement more consistent across Canada.
• It may lead to more routine enforcement of small offences, which proponents say helps protect fish stocks and habitat.
• The rules do not create new offences or new restrictions. They only change how existing Manitoba fishery offences are enforced and how certain fines are calculated.