Four people could be facing charges after a group of undercover officers noticed something smelled fishy at The Forks Market last Friday.
The officers from Manitoba Natural Resources seized 720 pounds, or 326 kilograms, of walleye fillets on July 18. The seizure was based on a lengthy investigation into the illegal sale and transportation of fish.
The investigation is ongoing and, so far, no charges have been officially laid.
Three commercial fishers and a business owner at The Forks could be charged up to $100,000 under the Fisheries Act, and could face up to six months in jail. The names of the individuals and the restaurant will be available once charges have been laid.
Other shops said the impact of contravening the law can be wide.
Don Saunders from Mariner Neptune said all vendors pay a set cost to buy and then sell fish, and poached pickerel drives up the price for everyone.
"I believe when illegal fish is bought it affects the pricing we get which in turn affects consumer pricing and it sort of drives away customers from us,” he said.
The wayward walleye seized at The Forks will be donated to a local charity.
