Included below is one concluded court case from the "online" officer's notebook. If you would like to read all the wildlife and fisheries investigations and the final outcome of the court cases be sure to pick up your Alberta Game Warden magazine at your favorite bookstore. Or better yet, purchase a yearly subscription so you won't miss an issue.

• Fish in their drawers: High Prairie District
• Fisherman caught selling illegal catch: Fort McMurray District
• No getting around it: High Prairie District
• Moose poachers caught: High Prairie District
• Grizzly shot and abandoned: High River District
• Lodge operator liable for licence contravention: Fort Smith NWT
• Guide tagged with $3,500 fine; Athabasca District
• Illegal wildlife parts: High River District
• Fish under the hood: Evansburg District
• A deer for a friend: Fort McMurray District

Fish under the Hood: Evansburg District

Two Edmonton men were made aware of the high value Albertans are placing on walleye stocks after they appeared in Evansburg provincial court.

On Oct. 20, 2003 Krzysztof Osinowski, 52, was found guilty of exceeding his possession limit for fish and providing false information to a fisheries officer. As a result, Osinowski was assessed $2,300 in fines and given a 15-year recreational sportfishing licence suspension. The co-accused, Stanislaw Honko, 36, entered guilty pleas on July 28, 2003. on charges of exceeding his possession limit for fish and providing false information to a fisheries officer. Honko received $1,725 in fines and a three-year recreational sportfishing licence suspension.

The convictions related to a fishery compliance patrol that was conducted on Lake Isle during the evening of June 19, 2003. A Fish and Wildlife officer observed both men angling from a Zodiac boat. The officer made note of their descriptions, boat and vehicle and then continued on his patrol around lake. A few hours later, at dusk, the officer returned to the boat launch. Although the angler’s vehicle was still parked where it had been, the men were nowhere to be found. The officer assumed the men were having good luck so he decided to wait for their return and inspect their catch. Approximately 30 minutes later the men brought their boat ashore and quickly began unloading their gear and deflating their boat. Honko was observed reaching into the bow of the boat and removing a heavy black garbage bag that he placed under the hood of the mini-van behind the engine block. Both men then loaded the remainder of their gear and got into the van to leave the lake.

The officer stopped the van and asked the men if they had any fish in the vehicle. Osinowski produced one legal pike from between the seats of the van and admitted to catching it. Both men told the officer that that was the only fish they had in their possession and that they did not catch any walleye during their trip.

Before handing back their licences, the officer asked Osinowski to open the hood of the van. He indicated that he did not understand the request. The officer again asked for the hood to be opened and Osinowski complied. An inspection of the engine compartment revealed a black garbage bag containing four whole walleye. Honko admitted to catching one of the fish while Osinowski claimed the remaining three.
In an effort to bring stocks back to harvestable levels, Lake Isle has had a zero walleye limit since 1996.

In his summation, the Honourable Judge M.J. Burch stated, “If you keep fish you’re not supposed to keep, you will pay a significant penalty. There is a reason for a zero walleye limit and it will be strictly enforced.”

We invite wildlife and fisheries enforcement officers from all jurisdictions to submit current and significant cases for inclusion in The Notebook segment of the publication. All details must be accurate public record. Please send case file details and photographs to: