Another fisheries regulation loop hole

[Nugget]

I had a spit in Bush N' Beach some time back about crabs being sold in retail outlets with their carapace missing.
How can you tell if a crab is undersize if the carapace is missing?

It was brought to my attention by Gary Fooks that this is legal.
The regs state:
(1) A person must not possess a mud or blue swimmer crab with its carapace missing, or crab meat, (the “crab”) unless the person—
(a) is a buyer or fish retailer; or

Now here is the crux...
Some commercial fishos also hold a retail licence which allows them to sell fish direct to the public.
These commercial operators can not be prosecuted for having crabs on board their boat with the carapace missing.
They can remove the back of undersize crabs as soon as they are caught and not be prosecuted.

I'm bringing this to everyone's attention because this regulation needs to be tighten up and I know some Ausfish readers are also on the Crab Mac advisory committee.

Perhaps the rules should only allow the back to be removed from a crab and the crab "cleaned for your convenience" once sold.
A bit like buying a whole rump and getting the butcher to cut it for you I suppose.
What do you think?

Dave ><>

[Hagar]

Good idea Nugget
It was probably a reasonable regulation back in the days when there was less fishing pressure and very few " shonky " operators in the industry , particularly in the retail side . With the sorts of things going on in the industry , enough to prompt posts like the current undersize fish reward post on this site and ongoing reports of breaches of regs. by some fisher groups new to the industry any loophole will be exploited and needs to be examined . Was that politically correct enough ?

Chris

[Gazza]

Hi Nugget ,couldn't find the link in Commercial ,as it referred me back to Recfishing regs?

Anyways , Henry wasn't keen on "tipping" , so I can't see why ,ripping the shell off makes it better for "regulation"

Also , another angle ,would be the Tax Office guys would like to see logs , on the actual number this occurred to ,as the "processing" part ,would then attract GST ;)

Just make it "illegal" , same as RecFishos , or the Regulations become a farce ,and would probably lead to fish having their tails cut off ??

(Same thing isn't it??) , just can't be measured ;)

[imported_admin]

I bought this up with fisheries when the new regs/act came into force.

First the guy at fisheries informed me that they could use the old underneath measurement, so I informed him that the old underneath measurement was for 15cm crabs so would not apply. Plus the fact that the act no longer mentioned this measurement. After a few Um's & R's he took my details and said he woudl get back to me. Never heard back from him. He didn't even know that the allowing of retail outlets to remove the carapace was in the act until I informed him.

If when you ring fisheries and they do not know the act how do they expect anyone in the community to know ?

Plus you get the feeling that they are just telling you crap that is not even in the act just to get you off the phone so they don't have to do any work. Abviously this guy did nothing once the phone conversation ended and I have never heard back from him.


Have a read through this post
http://www.ausfish.com.au/cgi-ausfish/board/YaBB.cgi?board=General;action=display;num=10850547 23
In my opinion it looks like fisheries is trying hard to hand the crab fishery over to the commercial sector.

[webby]

Bide your time fellas, the crabbing industry will not be handed over to the commerical op's.
Some of them might be in for a shock soon. ???
regards

[Gazza]

What SSS-HHH-OOO-CCC-KKK mate...... ???

"It becomes L-A-W to only keep the legalsize ones" :o :o :o :P

that'd rattle their cages!!! :-X :-* :-*

;D