Illegal fishing. gota hate it

[Jason_L]

fishing down at the causeway yesterday i noticed these 2 indonesial/malaysian/islander people. not sure which.

every bream they caught they kept, and everyone they caught was well short of 23cm.

i was so wishing i had my digital camera on me so i could have taken photos, so i could give the fisheries evidence. and i also have lost thier phone number.

i caught 3 bream but atleast they were leagal size.

i was going to tell the shop owner down there about it, but what woudl they say. "oh well. what can we do".

the only day i didn't take my camera this happens.

i'm not picking at foreign people, but it seams they are the more offenders of this. everyone else that i spoke to down there only keeps the fish they require to eat that are over legal size..

this really dissapoints me and makes me angry. it's people like this that make places fished out.

[jaybee]

U get that.. famous words eh..hey jason just got back from brunswick heads..was up the river catching whiting up to 27 cms..legal in QLD but my brother made me thro em back even tho 27 is legal in NSW... after catching some nice elbow slappers u can see why...but getting back to the subject...the toys as he calls em...15 to 20 cms...he says the holiday makers keep em all..n most of the holiday makers are born n bred in australia..so it happens every where...all you can do is turn a blind eye (on the spot) n ring the fisheries it enough people complain then maybe they will get of their butt n do something about it eh ..

[shano]

have to say i totally agree with jason on this one ..you only have to take a trip to the pumping jetty down the coast and sit back and watch the amounts of undersized fish that are taken by these asian people. they keep just about everything that they catch. and i cannot say that i have seen an aussie do the same thing. well if they do it would be only 1 or 2 not the whole bloody jetty.but thats my winge catch ya.
cheers shano!

[Steve_Ooi]

It fires me up too when i see the Asian guy next to me keep some tiny little bream...If it's blatant disregard for the laws then heavy fines should apply.....
I believe that quite a few don't understand or know the regulation that apply....Especially if they have moved from a country where such regulation don't exsist....Educating these people is probably the key , helping them understand the benifits of size /bag limits, and how it benifits the fishery and themselves in the long run...
I'd really like to see more material made avaliable to inform people about fishing regulation, and some swift action (fines ) to those that disregard the laws.....

Cheers Poony

[Katrina]

Maybe they should print it up in the appropriate languages, then there's no excuses!!!

[fisho]

I have seen the same thing at Mooloolaba - when I see it I am usually with mates and we politely but firmly let the jerks know the rules - if you are on your own I'm sure any fisho close by will offer support - I don't believe in the aggro but embarassing them works wonders

[Luke]

Just remember guys we have people of different origins that use the site and they obviously are concientious fishos. I'm sure they don't like it as much as us convicts don't like it. But remember we have been guilty of it too. I remember the some guys from the police force had a hut on one of the Islands down the pin when council allowed it and they got done with female crabs and had they're boats confiscated and fines imposed. I think we all know about what goes on and it's time to start making phone calls when innappropriate behaviour is seen.
Cheers Luke

[jaybee]

I think that is what i said luke..its a shame tho what happens..I have been down the sand pumping jetty and i set a standard by making sure eveyone see i measure fish..but as is said before it happens with every race, colour or creed, as the old sayin goes one bad apple spoils the bunch eh..but it always seems to be the younger of the race colour creed that bends the law..like they mite get a high if they are caught like being on drugs..like katrina said maybe the sizes and bag limits should be printed up in different languages like everywhere else...(ie catching and paying for the train) hosptials (but not with fishing) however, law, morals and standards start in the family home then peer pressure takes over..do u agree..specially with our young..??? I mean surely there are people out there that are willing to speak to schools or to hold fishing clinics so to speak to teach the young on bag limits and sizes..its all in aid of the future of fishing australia..and what better place to start with all the young, race, colour and creed. ??? I would be one to help lend a hand if someone can get it off the ground..as I am not new to volunteer work.. so there u have it ..if someone can help get it going i will throw my hat in the ring..any takers ???

[Jason_L]

i don't think you can blame it souly on the young people. i've prolly seen more old men than young kids/teenages/young adults take undersize fish. i think it all depends though how many people are around, where u are fishing etc.

It's like asking the question..:::


If you caught a barramundi in the closed season and no one was around and you knew you weren't going to get caught, would u keep it.?

I bet if you asked people this question you would get a 50/50 response. or very close to it.

[Luke]

Point taken Jaybee,
Only an opinion but I think most fishos that fish a lot release a lot more fish then they keep and also a lot of people that fish rarely stick to rules and regulations.All I'm saying is don't think it doesn't happen everywhere, it's just when you go to Southport you see it in bulk because these people are in groups.I think it's the meat fishermen that go down to the water strictly for a feed that will keep just about anything and I too have seen them doing it. I also have seen what happens on the sand pumping jetty (fisheries must know about it-where are they on a weekend) and fighting for a spot in tailor season just aint worth the trouble. Like Katrina said signage but we can't even seem to educate people to swim between the flags yet.
Luke

[jaybee]

I can answer that question now: I would definatly not keep a fish out of season..however I am yet to catch my first barramundi..the next time i go i will have a camera n I dont care if the damn thing is 10cm long i will take a pic n put it in this board and say hey I caught my first barra...I guess its like smoking and drinking eh...either u do or u dont...but I think starting a fishing clinic at schools is the way to go..then no one has got n excuse..cause the kids then teach the adults..maybe the moderator would like to start a poll on the fishing clinic and see how many people would like to protect the future fishing of australia ???

[Brett_Finger]

i'm a bastard for dropping people in the shit! if thay are doing the wrong thing on the water or to the water and i'm in phone range it's on to fisheries with boat number car redgo's ect.. and if i'v no phone it's into the note boox with particulers and on the phone when i get home, stuff them i want fish for my childern and there children to be able to catch and enjoy this mad sport as much as i do!!!
Hookin, Brett Finger...

[Katrina]

Hey Brett, good on ya for doing that, but do you know if anything happens when you make these reports? It would be interesting to follow up and see if it was looked into. From what I've heard this is highly unlikely. People do it cause they can get away with it, and they obviously have no conscience, and really just don't give a rat's @*$*. It's great to educate people, then they have no excuse. But it's gotta be policed, some people will do the wrong thing even if they know all the rules. Personally never seen fisheries or water police EVER when I've been fishing. Maybe I don't fish enough!! (That's probably it!) But seriously generally out on long weekends and hols, and other busy times. Keep on fishing, and keep on dobbing!!!!

[jaybee]

i've seen the wholesale slaughter at the sand pumping jetty the staff at the kiosk know it goes on and are disgusted..the old guy down there says he has rang fisheries that many times now and they are yet to show up, mite be afraid of them being seen to harrass non english speaking citizens ?? dont really know. But as katrina said signage might be a deterrent if it is followed up once and a while even if they only nab one out of a hundred the other people who break the law may get the message..

[Luke]

I was interested enough in this topic to give fisheries on the Gold Coast a ring and ask them about this. They assured me that the sand pumping jetty is a regular haunt for them on a Friday and Saturday night. He assured me they do patrol the area and most of the fish these guys are catching are silver biddies,dart and butter bream(no legal length). Anything that is not legal is normally gone by the time they make they're way up the jetty anyway. They do boat patrols and also car patrols into the backwaters. A tactic they now use is to dress like a fisherman with rod,pull up a bit of wood and start fishing so you just never know who is beside you. He does appreciate the concern and they do wish they could be everywhere 24 hours but not enough resources. No excuses but it was nice to hear they are out there when they can. However if you do see anyone breaking laws on the Gold Coast you can ring fisheries on 55835500 for Gold Coast only.
Luke