The Ministry of Natural Resources is investigating after a group of men were discovered fishing with nets and bagging salmon found in Bowmanville Creek, a salmon spawning area and popular spot for sport fishing in the township.
TikTok user Justin Newell posted a video, which now has nearly two million views, exposing a group of mostly men fishing with nets in the Bowmanville Creek in Bowmanville, Ont. After Newell confronts them, the men can be seen throwing large fish into bags.
Multiple social media users shared the video; one video on X garnered over 800,000 views.
Following the incident, a photo of Conservation officers engaging with individuals at the creek was posted, though it is unclear what day the photo was taken.
A representative from the MNR confirmed with True North that Conservation officers were aware of the incident and were actively investigating.
“If anyone has information that may assist Officers in identifying any individual(s) in the video, they ask you to contact the MNR TIPS line toll-free at 1-877-847-7667,” the representative told True North in an email. “To remain anonymous, you can also call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS.”
The MNR said they could not provide further comment on the incident as the investigation is ongoing.
One resident claiming to be from the area said the creek has become a free-for-all in recent years.
“Bowmanville Creek is literally my backyard. It’s an absolute disaster during the spring and fall fishing season with all the newcomers,” X user Adam said. “The pathway is jammed and clearly they are breaking laws…where are the game wardens?”
One TikTok user in the comments of the original post said, “This is not the Bowmanville I grew up in.”
The Municipality of Clarington was unavailable for comment when True North asked about the legality of netting and keeping fish in the area. However, the Ontario Fishing Regulations Summary outlines some rules about the practice.
“In Ontario, it is illegal to take fish by any means other than angling, spear, bow and arrow, dip or seine net or baitfish trap,” the summary lists.
The rules also state that transporting live fish is illegal, though True North was unable to confirm what laws the men were accused of breaching.
It is also illegal in Ontario to keep fish without a valid fishing license, with exceptions including for veterans, active Canadian Armed Forces members, Indigenous peoples, children or the elderly.
Ontario fishing licences are eligible for Ontario or Canadian residents and non-residents. For Ontario and Canadian residents, applicants must have lived in the province or country for at least six consecutive months during the 12 months immediately preceding the application.