Reply With QuoteGood job, possibly he was also a share farmer.
Minister for Primary Industries, Fisheries and Rural and Regional Queensland
The Honourable Tim Mulherin
13/06/2010 Night-time raid costs illegal crabber his boat and $5000
13 June 2010
A recreational fisher has lost his boat and been fined $5,000 by Brisbane's Magistrates Court on Wednesday after being found with an illegal haul of mud crabs.
Minister for Primary Industries, Fisheries and Rural and Regional Queensland Tim Mulherin said the fisher was found with excess, undersized and female mud crabs.
"The crabs were found in a secret onboard compartment by Queensland Boating and Fisheries Patrol (QBFP) officers," the Minister said.
"This was a deliberate attempt to ignore Queensland's fishing rules and regulations, which are designed to ensure our fishery remains sustainable.
"The fisher was convicted for this offence and his boat, which has been forfeited to the crown, could be destroyed.
"This action sends a clear warning to people who deliberately conceal fisheries products with the intent to get away with illegal catch.
"Any fisher who gets caught with a secret compartment containing illegal catch is at risk of losing their boat.
"The recreational fisher from Brisbane was convicted on three charges - possessing 13 female, 10 undersized and 22 excess mud crabs."
"This is not a case of a recreational fisher not knowing the rules, it was a calculated attempt at breaking them," the Minister said.
"The hidden compartment wasn't found when QBFP officers first searched the boat. It was only after a thorough inspection by officers that the compartment was found.
The Minister said male mud crabs have a bag limit of 10 and a size limit of 15 centimetres.
"We take these offences very seriously and fines are high for those found guilty," he said.
"In this case the defendant has also lost his boat, which is estimated to be worth about $8,000.
"This latest court ruling comes after a commercial fisher was fined $45,000 in April for being in possession of 158 female mud crabs.
"People willing to take a chan ce and break the law should know that our officers will catch and prosecute them.
"This fisher went to great lengths to conceal his illegal catch, but it's not a matter of if you get caught but when."
QBFP officer Hayley Meiers said the investigation was in response to complaints from the public about night-time activity at boat ramps around Brisbane.
"We want to thank the community for being vigilant on this occasion - with their help we can continue to target our resources at those who ignore the law," she said.
"We inspected the defendant's boat in February at the Pinkenba boat ramp.
"After searching the boat, we found a concealed compartment under the floor containing two bags of regulated crabs.
"The compartment had clearly been constructed with the intent to conceal fish catch.
"More than 700,000 people fish each year in Queensland and the majority of them adhere to the rules.
"In 2009, officers carried ou t 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 percent."
Ms Meiers said anyone with information on suspect illegal fishing activity should contact the 24-hour Fishwatch hotline on 1800 017 116.
Good job, possibly he was also a share farmer.
Good show for all that had a hand in getting this scumbag.
Cheers
Chris
good job! maybe a few less crab pots will be reported stolen.
You have to wonder though if this will deter him not to do it again. it sounds like he has gone to calculated lengths to continue to get away with up until now.
Good job on nailing this prick.
I would like to see results like this every week of the year, not once or twice a year.
Jack.
Well done QB&F
good job done by all they should of took his house to
hilly
Why not make all these cases well advertised so as to scare of anyone else of doing the same.1094 fines or prosecutions
yes we know what can happen if you get caught but i dont think that every rec fisherperson does, not after seeing what some ppl were keeping on the seaway wall over the last few weeks
good job by QBFP, but makes you think, if he had a specially constructed concealed compartment, how long had he been doing it??
I also note that they mention the boat could be destroyed....why? Especially when they have the opportunity to put it to auction and maybe even donate the proceeds to the local VMR or something. FFS you'd think they'd be able to think of a way to put it to some use, even if they get a couple hundred for it, better than nothing. They do it for impounded cars
Add it to the artificial reefs
Originally Posted by Scott nthQld
I can see the advert now..."for sale, 1 excellent crabbing boat, has great little hidden compartments to store you undersize and female crabs" haha
Its great to hear of these guys getting prosecuted. It makes me feel better about doing the right thing.
Great job QBFP & all who helped.
I agree, there should be more name and shaming ACA/TT style. Stuff the civil rights mobs, these guys are breaking the law, which the rest of us adhere to strictly and it makes the honest of us look bad especially when these tossers are called rec fishos.
IMO, they are not rec fishos but common criminals because their sole intent is to make a quick $$ by flouting the laws.
An article in sundays paper saw a fisherman get busted for undersize male,female crabs and over the limit.
They were found hidden under the floor boards
Received a $5000 fine and also had his $8000 boat conforiscated by the court
Couldn't happen to a better arxxhole like that.
Ken
hopefully it will keep him off the water, for a while anyway.
...of all the liars among mankind, the fisherman is the most trustworthy. ~William Sherwood Fox.
They should be mounting the boat on a post at the ramp with a sign...
"your boat will be on a post at the next boat ramp if we catch you with an illegal bag"
Might make people think twice.
Actually I thought they could take the car and trailer too.
I intend on living for-ever....so far so good
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