More than 300 whiting seized in caravan park raid

[Jono_SS]

Minister for Primary Industries, Fisheries and Rural and Regional Queensland
The Honourable Tim Mulherin

Thursday, June 10, 2010
More than 300 whiting seized in caravan park raid
The Queensland Boating and Fisheries Patrol (QBFP) has seized hundreds of illegally-caught whiting in Townsville after obtaining a search warrant.

Minister for Primary Industries, Fisheries and Rural and Regional Queensland Tim Mulherin said the excess whiting were found in a recreational fisher’s caravan.

“The legal possession limit for whiting is 30 and the fisher was found to have a total of 328 whiting,” the Minister said.

“This alleged offence shows blatant disregard for the state’s fishing rules, which are designed to protect our fisheries.

“The regulations ensure our fisheries are sustainable, yet here is one person who thinks it’s acceptable to take more than their fair share.

“It is not acceptable for anyone to ignore Queensland’s fishing rules and regulations and this should be a lesson to anyone who thinks they can get away with it.

“I won’t tolerate people who deliberately disregard the rules and the community won’t tolerate it either.

“I encourage anyone who suspects people of breaking the law to contact the Fishwatch hotline on 1800 017 116. Every complaint will be investigated.”

The Minister said Queensland’s bag limits allowed fishers to take a reasonable amount of fish without impacting fish stocks.

“More than 700,000 people fish each year in Queensland and the majority of them adhere to the rules,” Mr Mulherin said.

“In 2009, officers carried out 43,687 fisheries inspections which resulted in a total of 1094 fines or prosecutions for illegal fishing, while a further 670 people were cautioned.

“These figures reflect the fact that Queensland has a very high compliance rate within the fishing sector at nearly 97%.

“I’d like to thank QBFP for the work they do in educating fishers about bag and size limits and for enforcing the rules.”

QBFP Townsville District Officer Robert Ibell said the investigation was ongoing but the number of whiting confiscated was well in excess of the legal bag limit.

“Summer, golden lined and northern whiting have a combined bag limit of 30 and a minimum size limit of 23 cm,” Mr Ibell said.

“This incident should be a reminder to everyone that a bag limit refers to the total number of fish an individual can legally take and have in their possession at any one time – it does not apply on a per day basis.

“The maximum penalty for exceeding the bag limit is $100,000.

“We currently have 102 Boating and Fisheries Patrol authorised officers working throughout the state, carrying out random inspections and investigating complaints to the Fishwatch hotline.

“We want all fishers to make sure their knowledge of the rules is up to date.”

The community can help by reporting any alleged illegal fishing to the 24-hour Fishwatch hotline on 1800 017 116.

For a copy of the fishing rules for Queensland visit www.deedi.qld.gov.au or call 13 25 23.
Media: 3239 3120

[Scott nthQld]

damn nomads, bout time they got them they carry on with this every year. Them bloody mexicans think a bag limit is daily.

Wonder when they'll do the raids in karumba and weipa, same thing happen there every year with grunter, they'll all go out and catch their 10 everyday, filleting than freezing them to take back home

[cormorant]

Hope they check his home freezer as well with another warrant.

Shouldn't be allowed to hold a fishing lic ever again of be in posession of fishing gear.

I wonder if one has taken the blame when it was several ( but not enough) from the same family fishing into a communal freezer. Hope we hear the result from the courts and it gets some publicity to remind others. A few notes in the grey nomad magazines and so on would be a start

[BaitThrower]

hope he cops a decent fine...

Actually, is the posession limit for 1 person only?

Say, in this case, he had 11 people living in his caravan (LOL), would he then be ok? (30 each)

I am the only fisherperson in the family so I never had to worry about that issue..

[murf]

well I will be taking well over a hundred whiting into QLD from NSW in a months time, where do I stand there?

ok they will be red spot/trawl whiting to be used as bait

cheers Murf

[cormorant]

Keep that reciept handy just in case. Beware of different size limits , in posession limits in different states and also if store bought fish can be legally used as bait when it isn't designated as bait. With prawn they were worried about disease from people using store bought prawns possibly giving disease into natural populations as so much is imported or interstate.

Only one real answer. send a email to both states fisheries and ask the question and print off the answer in writing so it is from the horses mouth.

With huge fines and variable rules it would play to be safe or arrange supply local to where fishing..

[TheGurn]

Why are these losers always referred to as recreational fishers ?? !!

They are UNLICENSED pros !!

[murf]

Keep that reciept handy just in case. Beware of different size limits , in posession limits in different states and also if store bought fish can be legally used as bait when it isn't designated as bait. With prawn they were worried about disease from people using store bought prawns possibly giving disease into natural populations as so much is imported or interstate.

Only one real answer. send a email to both states fisheries and ask the question and print off the answer in writing so it is from the horses mouth.

With huge fines and variable rules it would play to be safe or arrange supply local to where fishing..

every time I buy Pillies I am over the bag limit too

yeah mate 300 for one person is over the top in a big way even if you need 6 fish for a feed for one

cheers Murf

[manchild]

So ,how come their race only mentioned when they are Indigenious or asian ?Just saying.
George

[nigelr]

Good point. I'd wager there would be plenty that either don't understand the 'in possesion' rule, or dont want to understand it!

[PinHead]

was he a nomad or a permanent living in a van???

[Apollo]

Similar thing happen in Hervey Bay a while back. Silly bugger was coming back each day with a bag full and bragging to the other campers. One knocked on him and the authorities raided his caravan to find about 300 whiting from memory. Rules are rules - throw the book at him.

Steve

[Chopper Taylor]

328 whiting is completely over the top. And I too have witnessed the geriatric gypies at Karumba flogging the grunter beyond what most people would consider acceptable. But just what is acceptable? Can everyone out there say they have never exceeded the in possession bag limit for any species?

I often have a supply of crayfish (6 to 8) in my freezer which I thaw and eat over the summer months when good mates or special occassions come up.

Also, I don't get much of a chance to fish when at home with work, kids and sport taking up all my time. So several times a year I go north and get a feed of pearl perch and snapper which I fillet and vacuum seal.

I will eat these fish over the next few months (2 or 3 feeds a week). When supplies get low I go away for a weekend and top up the freezer. I never catch more than 5 perch and 10 snapper a day (I wish!!), and I never catch fish just to give them away to people to big note myself.

However, on my return trip home I travel with my family and my mate drags his boat back. If he were to get pulled over he would have both his and my 15 perch and 30 snapper in the ice box in the boat, but only one person in the car.

I don't belive either of us are destroying any fish stocks, but we are definately breaking the law.

My sitaution is completely different to a dude having over 300 fish in his possession... or is it?

As I asked earlier - what do you consider acceptable.

The logical solution would be for me to go away fishing more often, but that is not possible if I wish to stay married and be a good dad.

[Pridey]

Does anyone have any more details about this ? Where they were caught ? who it actually was ? eg which river systems were involved ? was he dragging ? planning on using them as bait ?

Whitting arent exactly a typical target species up here. Absolutely disgusting IMHO.

[Feral]

Be plenty of fisho's with more than the posssesion limits in their freezer. Forgot about those two packs of fillets left over from last year hiding in the bottom of the ol tucker box? Maybe you kept some frames for crab bait? Chuck another couple on top and you might be over.

Rest of the family out when fisheries comes a knockin? gee officer sure there is regularly 4 people living here! all issues that may catch a fisho out who thought he was legal
.
I've also seen plenty of fishing comps where fish are weighed in where I know fisho's have yesterday's catch in their esky back at camp, but are weighing in a full bag. I've also seen one bloke left in camp with 4 blokes eskies, believe me he is over if Fisheries come along!