Illegal to shore fish in Toronto Harbour !!

[keith78]

No person shall fish from shoreline unless in an authorized area designated by posted signs.
Afloat Recreational/Commercial fishing is not to be undertaken in a navigable channel, or areas designated for other activities swimming, diving, etc




it means no fishing in the marinas or in any channel to the lake or swimming areas but most wont bother u at this time of year as no1 is swimming yet and there are no boats in the water yet

[MikeH]

Just to bring this topic back to the top of the pile.....

there has been some developments. A member of the downtown fishing community was detained by harbourfront security, police called and threatened with arrest and a $2000 fine. He was stranding on the public sidewalk at the Portland St slip, fishing into Toronto Port Authority waters. He has been told he faces a $2000 fine.
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.

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: mriehl@torontoport.com

Wil Wegman (wil.wegman@ontario.ca)
Extension Services Technician
Ministry of Natural Resources
905-713-7730

Take 5 minutes out of your day and call these guys. Be Polite, just ask for clarification on the law. Is it illegal to fish from shore into TPA waters inside their jurisdiction, regardless of who owns the land.

[Mike Riehl]

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:

http://www.torontoport.com/TorontoPortAu...iction.png


The Practises and Procedures of the Toronto Port Authority state:

http://www.torontoport.com/Port/About-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

[MikeH]

Thanks for taking the time to come in and reply to this issue.

Unfortunately, I sought some legal advice this morning and it is not good.

The TPA procedures rule #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. TPA jurisdiction includes all shoreline from Ashbridges Bay Park over to humber bay park, and encompasses the shoreline of the Toronto Islands.

All it takes it for someone (anyone) inside this zone to complain to the Police Marine unit and ask them to review the TPA handbook and we are left facing arrest and a $2000 fine. In this case the board of directors at Harbourfront centre, a publically 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.

[MichaelAngelo]

This thread is now a sticky.

I feel that a petition of sorts is in order. I would draft one, but I am untrained in legal jargon.

[OldTimer]

(03-19-2012 11:10 AM)Mike Riehl Wrote:  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...


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.

Thanks Mike...........

Hey Guys - I read "signage was posted" - if that's truly the case in these two recent arrests - perhaps some should review & rethink things going forward.

Regards,

OldTimer

[MikeH]

Under rule 24 they are not obliged to post any no fishing signs within TPA jurisdiction, they are only obliged to post fishing allowed signs if there are any fishing permitted areas. The issue here is that the entire jusridiction is a no shore fishing zone, from Ashbridges to Humber bay park, including the Toronto Islands.

Harbourfront Centre and Ontario Place security have decided to enforce the rule, but there's nothing stopping Joe public from calling in the Police Marine unit and having you ticketed anywhere inside the TPA zone.

[OldTimer]

Do you know if signs are posted?

[MikeH]

(03-19-2012 02:50 PM)OldTimer Wrote:  Do you know if signs are posted?

I have fished both Harbourfront and Ontario Place on a regular basis and I have never seen any "no fishing" signs except for the private property - no access or fishing signs posted on the floating jettys inside the marina where the boats are moored. There were certainly no signs posted at the Portland St slip where this latest incident took place. I have not seen any no fishing signs at the Ontario Place outside sidewalks either.

If there are any no fishing signs on the public sidewalks they must have been added this weekend.

The rule 24 is clear that they dont have to post no fishing signs as there is no shore fishing allowed anywhere inside the TPA zone.

[OldTimer]

Now this is only my slant on this:

If the area was actually posted........ well.......... life sucks if you don't pay attention.

If it wasn't posted - this is like "negative sales response schemes" which are illegal here.............. Its a bushwhack penalty.

Furthermore, I doubt that land owners will change their stance on who can do what on THEIR property.

However, what I do believe may be attainable is that this law might be made "visible" (in which case signs would be made mandatory if fishing is not allowed................ just like everywhere else on this planet).

And sadly, at the end of the day............ you'll positively and for sure, know where we can't fish ........

Regards,

OldTimer