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Not harsh enough penalities.
Forfieting their mode of transporting illegal nets ( car / boat... etc ) should be included.
Good result anyway, but tip of the ice-berg I fear.
cheers LP
Queensland Government
Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry
Fisheries Queensland
Media Release
5 July 2012
More than $20,000 in fines dealt to fishers in south west
Fines totaling more than $20,000 were handed down in Cunnamulla Magistrates Court this week after three people were found guilty of disregarding fishing rules in remote south-west Queensland.
The fines issued on Tuesday in two separate cases were some of the biggest ever issued in Queensland for recreational freshwater fishing offences.
Queensland Boating and Fisheries Patrol (QBFP) district officer Coby Walker said in his 22 years with the Patrol, he could not recall a day where larger fines were given for recreational freshwater fishing offences.
“All offences were discovered after complaints from the public were received,” Mr Walker said.
“We received information about individuals on Cooper Creek – between Thargomindah and the South Australian border – netting and taking large amounts of golden perch (yellowbelly).
“We launched a joint operation with the Queensland Police Service (QPS) and discovered several unlawful nets and a freezer with 79 golden perch in whole and fillet form.
“To help protect this native species for future generations, the bag limit for golden perch is 10 and the possession of fishing nets for freshwater use is prohibited.
“The two individuals in this case were fined a total of $12,500 and the fish and nets were seized by QBFP officers.”
Mr Walker said shortly after this, another individual in the same area was caught with 1213 yabbies (blueclaw crayfish) and 19 traps without rings.
“The bag limit for yabbies is 100, with only four traps allowed to be used by an individual at any one time,” he said.
“This person was fined $8000 and the yabbies and traps were seized.”
Mr Walker said in both of these operations, community assistance had prevented the ongoing exploitation of a public resource that was there for all to enjoy.
“People have become more aware of the need to protect our dwindling fisheries resources.
"While the QBFP have a massive area to patrol in the west, we have the support of the QPS and community, and this prosecution is an example of what can be achieved with such support.
“Those who consider breaking the law should realise that even in remote areas, someone is always watching and they will be caught.
“We encourage people to report unlawful or suspicious fishing activities by calling the Fishwatch Hotline on 1800 017 116.”
Check out Queensland's freshwater bag and size limits here http://www.daff.qld.gov.au/28_2994.htm
Not harsh enough penalities.
Forfieting their mode of transporting illegal nets ( car / boat... etc ) should be included.
Good result anyway, but tip of the ice-berg I fear.
cheers LP
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Yeah should have really nailed em. That's been going on out there for years. It's a finite resource so those people are raping the country out there. Throw the book at em.
Do you really think that the fines will be paid????
Most of the fish were probably headed south any way.
Good job well done.
Have fun Haji-Baba
Some times the facts get confused in the reporting.
Have fun Haji-Baba
What have you heard old mate?Originally Posted by Haji-Baba
Oi Phill. I always thought cars and boats and trailers and gear could be confiscated by inspectors. Can anyone say anything for sure on this matter?
I intend on living for-ever....so far so good
Hi! Finga, The geography may be a bit out, Coopers Creek, Thargomindah?????
I totally agree with the comments for penalty, willingily? and knowingly exceeding the limits and the possibility of non payment of fines for whatever reason should be countered by confication of gear.
This has been going on for many years and the fact that netting is lawful in other states does not mean that our streams should be open slather. And obviously the fisheries people are on to it.
One excuse is that many holes dry out and many of the fish die, so why waste the rosource. B.S
This drying out has been happening for centuries and will continue but the fish return because they are still there buried in the mud and like a crayfish have learned to survive.
I have personally seen Yellowbelly dug from a dry lagoon in 1968 5 feet down in the mud/silt
cacooned in a pocket of water and slime.
Crayfish do the same in the bottom of melonholes and when it floods they emerge to scatter all over the country side. How many times have we filled our schoolbags with crayfish on the way home from school during a flood?
Try driving a crowbar down in the bottom of a melonhole, what do we find, water trapped in cray fish holes?
Have fun Haji-Baba.
Scotty, The vehicles can be " forfieted " as directed by a Magistrate during a court appearance and sentencing of a perpetrator.
I don't believe any Fisheries Inspector ( Field Officer ) can arrest or detain a suspect in Queensland. Having said that, Water Police are now empowered with the same policing laws as Fisheries Officers and NP Rangers, hence they can arrest anyone suspected of commiting a crime under the Fisheries Act. But usually it is a case of issuing a notice to appear and then the Magistrate can dish out sentencing.
I still hold firm, that if a rec or com fisher has exceedingly high bags of species, they are knowingly commiting an offence and should recieve everything the law can throw at them.
LP
Similarly, many Indo fishing vessels in NT are burnt to the ground for illegal fishing activities.
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Back in South Africa if you were caught with anything illegal by fauna and flora you would loose everything that were used in the illegal operation. Your Car,boat,gear etc and would be lucky not to end up in jail. Pitty they don't have the same system for all the other crimanals out there that walk away with murder.
I always thought the confiscated Indonesian vessels were burnt to the ground for quarantine reasons, same as those fishing boats that arrive but are used by people smugglers.
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