Sharefarmers cop $1300 fine.

[rayken1938]

In latest Bayside Bulletin article about 4 Ipswich sharefarmers copping $1300 fine for interfering with crab pots, undersize and female crabs. They were caught in Cobby passage.Personally I think they got off lightly.Still good to see the boys in blue in action.
Cheers
Ray

[goat boy]

good stuff. Hope they have to sell some gear to pay for it

[FNQCairns]

Fine is appropriate but it should have be accompanied with a criminal conviction. because that is what they are, no more than oxygen thieves and deserve that brand.

cheers fnq

[rayken1938]

I have just been speaking to one of our friendly local fisheries officers and he wasnt aware of the newspaper report and he seems to think it has been misreported.
There are 3 different on the spot fines for crabbing offences and they escalate from a start of $400, $800. $1000 and then to the magistrates court for more severe offences.
Some of their latest catches
person in mangroves at Ormiston 6 undersize muddies and one female.
163 females ( Didnt say where)
60 females in Pumicestone passage ( Same person was caught in Pine river previous month with 30 females )
All but one of these were as a result of calls to 1800 number.
They are not allowed to speak publically re any aspects of their work so we never get to hear about the good work that they do.
Cheers
Ray

[4x4frog]

Good they are doing something when they catch the thieves.
Rayken, such a pity the PC brigade as it would be stop the authorities from speaking about these low-lives for fear of embarressing any of them. That has to be the only reason they are gagged I'd bet.

[Lucky_Phill]

Crabbing proves costly


DANI VOLKE
07 Dec, 2009 04:33 PM


INTERFERING with crab pots has cost four Ipswich men a total of $1300. Officer in Charge of the Wynnum District Water Police Sergeant Lucas Young said police had nabbed the the men in Coby Passage near the bottom of Russell Island. They were also charged with possession of undersized male and female crabs. Sgt Young also reminded boaties to log their trips with Volunteer Marine Rescue before venturing out on the water.




copyright. Bayside Bulletin 2009.


It appears that they may have been fined through the Magistrates Court !!




phill

[legsy11]

is their anywhere we can get that 1800 number people are talking about

[rayken1938]

Fishwatch hotline on 1800 017 116.
If you get an ansermachine please leave a message they do monitor it but do have limited resourses after hours.
CHeers
Ray

[gr hilly]

they should name them take thier boat and car and house. no one will do it again
hilly

[marty+jojo]

they should name them take thier boat and car and house. no one will do it again
hilly

Average house $350 000, + car+boat::) ::) a bit far fetched i think. Don't get me wrong i hate these type of scum as much as the next bloke but i think the boat is enough.
Marty.

[Hell Boy]

Ok maybe the house hilly brought up is over the top, but at least take away their equipment used to commit the crime.

The Rules in NZ seem to work, people losing the boats and fishing gear to the Crown if they are found guilty of keeping undersized fish or keeping more than the limit.

normally i don't like this kind of hard stance, but these Wa@#kers that have the IQ of goldfish need this kind of action to make them think a bit harder before they do something stupid. and all money from the sale of seized goods at auctions to go to the local coastguards


Cheers,

Bryn

[FNQCairns]

So if I wanted to go illegal crabbing as a recreational fisherman I could do it in very well in a $700.00 tinny yet the bloke with kids in his 15k rig who makes a simple no harm mistake runs the risk of loosing it all....that's a lot of trust to put in our system, the last place to put common trust is into our authorities given the grossness of history past. Leopards simply do not change their spots.

cheers fnq

[cormorant]

They really should have a section on their website that has their sucesses on it. If they name the people as well after a court conviction ( not just a fine) and repeat offenders that is a good thing.

Fines don't seem big enough for people obviously doing the wrong thing and they really need the resources to get police and other officers to go to the scumbags houses and check the freezers.

Repeat offenders should have every piece of fishing equipment they own or are in posession of taken and never be issued a fishing lic again.

Stuff em they really are screwing us all and abusing teh whole reproductive capacity of the waterway.

[justjack]

guess who dobbed in the ormiston bloke, worse thing was he was down there the next day doing the same thing, stealing a blokes pots and taking more crabs, i personally dont think the fines are servre enough and the message is not getting threw, because its still a all to common offence, ive got the number on me know i hope to catch the bloke i know is hooking crabs

[Damned67]

i personally dont think the fines are servre enough and the message is not getting threw, because its still a all to common offence

I agree completely.... until the consequences outweigh the risk of being caught, the losers will keep doing as they please.
Imagine the rate of car theft if the initial fine was only $400!

And the guy that caught and kept the massive groper, and was fined $400? How many people would be tempted to keep a fish like that as a trophy for $400?

Quite simply, the fines/consequences need to be increased.

[hodges4]

What is needed is for any person caught to have the arrest and results highlighted in the media. Paper and TV. I doesn't need names to be published.

Let Fisheries notify the media to have it published.

Let it be known that people are being caught and the repercussions.

Maybe the message will get through not to do it, you may get caught.

[Aunty Jack]

Let the punishment fit the crime.
If your caught with say 10 crabs,[9 jennys 1 buck]
Put all the crabs in a tank with the blindfolded ofender.
Then get him or her to pick out the buck.
If he looses a finger or two he might just learn.
There crabs and then theres crabs.

[Feral]

doesn't need names to be published.




I miss the old days when they had court reporters, and all the names of the drunks, crooks and wife beaters from the weeks court proceedings were published in Monday mornings paper.

There is no law to stop it, the papers just stopped doing it.

[smashed crabs]

I miss the old days when they had court reporters, and all the names of the drunks, crooks and wife beaters from the weeks court proceedings were published in Monday mornings paper.

There is no law to stop it, the papers just stopped doing it.

Dropping names is still alive and well in the north, ingham and i beleive townsville has a shame file

[Mozza]

Dropping names is still alive and well in the north, ingham and i beleive townsville has a shame file

Do they? Not that it helps much up here.

I've been in Aus for 24yrs now so that's at least 25yrs ago now in S.Africa illegal fishing/collecting included on the spot fines, loss of all equipment used and impoundment of transport including vehicle and/or boat. It worked marvellously but then, that was one arm of that particular govt that did the right thing.

Maybe upping the fines/punishment will reduce the pressure on the policing front ie: fewer heftier fines vs many cheap fines.

Cheers
Mozza

[hodges4]

Maybe upping the fines/punishment will reduce the pressure on the policing front ie: fewer heftier fines vs many cheap fines.
Mozza

There still need to be heaps of publicity provided to let those who steal know the size of the fines and thiefs are being caught.

It can only act as a deterrent if they know the consequences.