couldn't leave it there...

[netmaker]

hi all. went for a walk with the missus the other day. got to the waterfront at thorneside and near the park on the beach was one of those 1.3m wide crab pots. right next to it was a small, stinky and very dead turtle. i checked the pot and it had no name tag and the float had no name. it looked pretty bad with the turtle next to it and i wasn't taking the turtle... so i rolled the thing back home. repaired a couple of holes and replaced a missing leg. new nametag and float and took it fishing the other day. it outfished my other 3 pots getting me 5 sandies for the night out of a total catch of 15 for the 4 pots. very seldom my crab pot numbers increase...

[finga]

Gees you were lucky Fisheries didn't fine you.....because YOU have been warned you know.

[netmaker]

Gees you were lucky Fisheries didn't fine you.....because YOU have been warned you know.

hahaha. i would have had to ring them and report it first and then wait around for a few hours... and as it wasn't named it is a ghost pot and i am doing the sea a favour. it does beg the question tho, what if i were caught on my way home with an unmarked pot? what if someone buys their pots at bcf on the way to the ramp and rigs them up there with floats and name tags? if approached by fisheries before the job is done, technically they are in breach of the law as they are in possession of non-compliant fishing equipment.
i would hope that common sense prevails.

[gruntahunta]

Put it back...it is not yours... Bloody share Farmer

[trymyluck]

Turn ya back for 2 bloody minutes and goooone............

[netmaker]

yeah. good on ya fellas. gotta say i was a bit undecided about it and actually walked another half km before deciding to go back and remove it. would have hated to see a pic in the local rag. those bloody fishos...

[TREVELLY]

You would be alright with fisheries mate if caught as it wasn't at that time a crab pot but rather a turtle trap and proven! - all good !!!

[Aussie123]

Fisheries have no control over fishing apparatus unless you are on or adjacent to a waterway.
Its a bit like the old gill nets,they are not illegal to buy,sell or own but they do become illegal if you have one on or adjacent to a waterway with one.

[ubar]

Yey i agree with what you done mate and good on you. Some Greeny wank ringing the local rag and then guess what..its on TV everywhere. Ive found lots of abandoned pots and we all no what a abondened pot looks like so i reckone u did nothing wrong. When i find them i pull them right up onto the bank and leave em there, if they are destroyed then they go the tip. So hang on a minute...i follow the rules...clean up the ocean and my pots get raided and stolen....im going to Crab heaven ..whooohooooo.