An area resident has been heavily fined for selling baitfish and leeches without a licence.

The Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry says the resident of Berglund was charged following a two-year investigation that was s initiated in 2019 following complaints from the public.

An Ontario court was told that during the investigation, a man was seen harvesting baitfish from the government dock in Morson.

Baitfish and walleye were later sold to conservation officers.

Neil Bernier was convicted for selling baitfish and leeches without a license for commercial purposes, unlawfully taking baitfish for commercial purposes, fishing without a licence, commercially selling walleye, possessing an over limit of walleye and packaging fish in a manner that species and number cannot be readily counted.

The court fined him $15,870.

He was also banned from acquiring a fishing and baitfish license for three years.