fishing is banned in toronto harbour...$2000 fine

iwas fishing from the sidewalk at portland street slip....3foot gar in front of me...harrbourfront security car pulls up and the guy freaks out at me.
there are 5 other guys fishing the spadina quay area...none around the boats but the security guy is reading me the letter of the law...you are fishing from shore into harbourfront property therefore breaking rule #24 of the port authority...he has the hand book...he is charging me with trespassing and i am to leave or he will force me to.....i explain the weeks events he doesn't answer me...he turns his back and calls for more security....i tell him i ain't going no where...he tells me the security will remove me, the police will be called, i will be given a $2000.00 fine and arrested. ....i was so angry at this point i would of got myself into a big mess with security so i told him to just call the police.
police marine unit comes and all persons fishing are sent away....they leave me to last ...i explained the situation to the police and they show me the port authority handbook and tell me that until their boss is instructed otherwise this is the law...if i do not leave now i will be fined $2000 and for refusing to leave i will be going with them...i was so angry that the police officer asked why...he said he had no problem with me and would i go and fight this another way...i agreed and departed....they had to ask a guy fishing in a boat to leave too....

Thats bullsh*t!
Why do they have a problem with people fishing, jeez, we don't bother no one.

Does this mean u can't fish anywhere on toronto harbourfront? ( Downtown ) .. sorry I'm not to fimiliar with dtwn. I really wanted to go fish downtown too.

yes you can not fish toronto harbour anywhere until this is resolved....harbourfront security will call police to fine you $2000 and arrest you if you refuse to leave....if it goes to court and you are found guilty of fishing from shore you face a ban from the harbourfront by a judge.


fishing boat sent away....security guy calling police...i did not take these pics others did trying to help me.

I wonder what the MNR would have to say about it. They promote fishing the Toronto harbourfront on their website.

Shouldn't have resisted the officers though...

nothing will get any better unless we express our right to fish the lake in front of our city....i paid to have a license...and i am not allowed to fish in my city......does rob ford know this?????
http://www.torontosun.com/2012/03/14/toronto-sportsmens-show-launches-with-a-challenge

You have to be kidding me! So sorry to hear about that incident tangledline, that royally sucks.

Somebody looked into this just a few weeks ago:

http://ontarioshorefishing.com/forum/Thread-Illegal-to-shore-fish-in-Toronto-Harbour?pid=577#pid577

Bottom line: "So from Clause 608-38 (A)...fishing is permitted at all city Parks except where posted."

My reaction to all this... :blink:

"nothing will get any better unless we express our right to fish the lake in front of our city...."

you got that right...if there is no opposition, then you have seen the end of fishing there...

Yeah we should do something, but what? :s

Michael Riehl
Deputy Harbour Master
& Manager of Customer Relations
Toronto Port Authority
Phone: 416-462-1227
Cell: 416-319-9095
Fax: 416-462-1612
Email: [email protected]

Wil Wegman ([email protected])
Extension Services Technician
Ministry of Natural Resources
905-713-7730

TPA jurisdiction runs from Ashbridges bay to humber park East and includes half of Tommy Thompson Park and all of the Islands. If the security guards intrpretation of the law is correct, you cannot fish in any of these locations (including the islands) as the water belongs to TPA, regardless of the land being a Toronto PArk or public property. MNR may say you can fish there and even actively promote it, but I bet they will not pay your fine if a security guard gets bored, calls the police and they decide to take you to court.

Be polite. Take 5 minutes out of your day, call these two people and ask for clarification.

And this from the city that just held the 65th annual Sportsman Show. A sad thing indeed.

Here's a copy of the reply we got from the TPA over at the Ontarioshorefishing forums:

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Good day all !!

Over the past few weeks I have received my first ever email questions on fishing in the port and harbour of Toronto. This has now peaked with a fishing incident at Ontario Place last week and over the weekend at Harbourfront Centre. So let me take a few minutes to review the issue...

For your information, a map of the jurisdiction of the TPA can be found at:

<a class="bbc_url" title="External link" href="http://www.torontopo...Au...iction.png" rel="nofollow external">http://www.torontopo...Au...iction.png


The Practises and Procedures of the Toronto Port Authority state:

<a class="bbc_url" title="External link" href="http://www.torontopo...Us...dures.aspx" rel="nofollow external">http://www.torontopo...Us...dures.aspx

24. No person shall fish from shoreline unless in an authorized area designated by posted signs.

25. Afloat Recreational/Commercial fishing is not to be undertaken in a navigable channel, or areas designated for other activities swimming, diving, etc

The vast majority of the waterfront property in the harbour are owned by the City of Toronto, Harbourfront Centre, Ontario Place or by private companies and NOT the Toronto Port Authority.

So the inference of number 24 is that you must have permission from the land owner to fish off of their property.

Number 25 is strictly based on safety and navigation. No fishing in navigation, swimming or related use areas. Each marina will have their own rules regarding fishing but the many of them do not allow fishing.


Fishing is commonplace amongst the Toronto Islands which fall under the jurisdiction of the city's Park and Recreation Department.

Chapter 608 of the Toronto Municipal Code deals with Parks. Section 38 addresses Fishing.

§ 608-38. Fishing.

While in a park:
A. No person shall fish in an area posted to prohibit fishing;
B. No person shall store or leave any lures, bait, hooks, lines, poles or other equipment in the park in a location or manner that may injure other persons or wildlife; and
C. All permitted fishing must be carried out in compliance with all Ministry of Natural Resources Rules and Regulations.

So from Clause 608-38 (A)...fishing is permitted at all city Parks except where posted.


Harbourfront Centre and Ontario Place are separate identities from the city and province and have their own rules. Both do NOT allow fishing on their property and that signage is posted.

Harbourfront Centre's jurisdiction covers from York St slip to Portland St slip except for HT0 Park East (where the beach and umbrellas are...at this time I am not sure if the City's Park and Rec Dept has posted no fishing signs there).

I hope that this posting makes thing more clear.

Please contact me if you have additional questions or concerns.

cheers

Michael Riehl
Deputy Harbour Master
& Manager of Customer Relations
Toronto Port Authority
416-462-1227

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sought some legal advice this morning and it is not good.
The TPA procedure #24 makes no reference to land ownership and simply states that you may not shore fish anywhere inside TPA jurisdiction unless there is a sign specifically ALLOWING shore fishing. This includes everything from Ashbridges bay park over to humber bay park, including the Toronto Islands. All it takes it for someone (anyone) to complain to the Police Marine unit and ask them to review the TPA handbook and you are facing arrest and a $2000 fine.

It appears that the board of directors at Harbourfront centre, a government funded non-profit organisation have arbitrarily decided to enforce the rule, and deny fishing access to the disabled, children and anyone else unable to use or afford a fishing boat..

I am sad to read this post.

Can I assume from this that realistically the only place left downtown that you could fish would be in High Park?

yes or the fishing ponds at the sportsman show held once a year....
the new aquarium may provide new fishing opportunities that the toronto port authority does not control...yet.

i have been emailing mike reihl back and forth over the issues....lots of things transpired as well on another fishing forum...i am posting a link to the thread...i do not intend to offend the members or admin of this forum
by doing so. my intent is to unite and inform all persons who fish toronto harbourfront that our sport and passion is threatened and we must fight for it or lose it and be treated as criminals for fishing our lake.

so respectfully i attach this link to another respectful fishing forum i frequent...

http://www.fishingfury.com/vb4/threads/903-Shore-fishing-illegal-in-Toronto-Harbor-WTFFFFFF/page4?p=6871#post6871

Thank-you Mike Riehl for your time and effort....we do realize that this issue is just more work on your plate...we thankyou for listening and reading our forums and emails and then thoughtfully responding...you have our respect.

If the content of our posts and emails are surrounded by emotions we do not mean to be disrespectful to you or the Toronto Port Authority.
We are very passionate about fishing and are outraged with the turn of events last fall and this spring.
We all have a lot of money invested in our fishing passion....and most of us work so much or have obligations that do not allow us to leave the city to fish elsewhere....this is our stress release in life....and we want answers as to why it is being taken away from us...we are being treated by the Harbourfront security as criminals.....and we are coming to you because they are not quoting their fishing rules in order to fine or arrest or remove us but they are using The Toronto Port Authority Handbook....and so are the police....the marine unit officers expressed their reluctence to enforce the Toronto Port Authority rules but because harbourfrnt security insists they do they must.

Summary: We need you to express how the Toronto Port Authority wants this law addressed to the supervisors at the marine unit and harbourfront centre. It now seems clear that the Harbourfront security is using your laws to fight their battles....
If there are no fishing signs posted then the harbourfront security have not stated their rules to the public officially...thus they are not enforceable
until they are made public....am i correct??...thus we will force the political issue with the harbourfront centre and if they stand firm in their beliefs they will have to put up signs and publically announce their rules. We then can take the issue before city council and the ontario courts.

i truly appreciate the effort you have made...thankyou.
i would still like to converse quickly by phone to listen to your views on my take of the situation.
respectfully
david clark

i am told that harbourfront centre has a no fishing sign but it is site specific and representive.
wave docks have prohibitive activity signs posted but fishing is not one of them.
spadina quay and hto parks and quay have signs posted prohibiting activities but fishing is not listed see pics above...
harbourfront centre has been using port authority laws where in actuality they were required to post their own no fishing rules if they are to be enforced...they never did this because they fear the public out cry...blame the other guy we are just enforcing his rules...its like saying my manager says you can not do that and you gotta go....you ask to speak to the manager but they are unavailable...and you still gotta leave.
harboufront centre bs.....cowards

site admin.....where are you we need you the most right now....
if anyone has time contact other sites forums, fishing pros
please do voice our anger and fears

tangledline said:

site admin.....where are you we need you the most right now....
if anyone has time contact other sites forums, fishing pros
please do voice our anger and fears

Click to expand...

You have support here....

http://ontarioshorefishing.com/forum/Thread-Illegal-to-shore-fish-in-Toronto-Harbour?pid=751#pid751

i feel that if this goes no where. we need to get a rally together, a peaceful one so that we can make out points clear and we want real clarification on this. I have never made it down their to fish but have always wanted to.

mike h thankyou for your leadership last fall and this spring with regards to this issue....i emailed link of your web site sunday to mike riehl sunday .....and to toronto sun writer....the sun is surveying our progress at this point....and may get involved when the facts are clearer as they are slowly evolving. i have not been posting to the site as i feel you are already achieving a solid voice and platform there yourself...
if anything significant comes up over the next week i will make a better effort and post on osf as well....i love what you are building there...i do need to make an effort to participate....soon