Retailer fined over fishy business

A NSW South Coast seafood company has been fined $9000 and ordered to pay $19,000 in court costs after being found guilty of possessing hundreds of prohibited size fish taken illegally from Commonwealth waters and possessing fish without a prescribed record.

NSW Primary Industries Minister Steve Whan said a 44 year old Narooma man, was driving a refrigerated van along the Princes Highway at Cullendulla, north of Bateman’s Bay in July 2007, when he was stopped by NSW Police and Industry & Investment (I&I) NSW Fisheries Officers.

“Upon inspection of the van, fisheries officers found a total of fourteen boxes of fish, three of which did not have the required receipt,” Mr Whan said.

“In addition, out of a total of 650 tiger flathead seized, more than 400 of them were of a prohibited size under Commonwealth legislation and illegal in New South Wales.

“The fish ranged in size from 21.5 centimetres to 27.7 centimetres. The minimum prescribed legal size for tiger flathead caught in Commonwealth waters is 28 centimetres.”

Any person who is in possession of a quantity of fish destined for sale or any other commercial use, must produce a receipt to a fisheries officer on demand.

After three days of hearings in Bateman’s Bay Local Court this month, the man and his company were found guilty and ordered to pay a total of $9000 in fines, as well as a total of $19,000 in court costs.

“The NSW Government takes crimes against our fisheries resources very seriously,” Mr Whan said.

“This court result should serve as a major deterrent to those fishers and retailers who continue to do the wrong thing.

“Legislation under the Fisheries Management Act 1994 is in place to ensure the sustainability of States fisheries resources for future generations.

“Just as commercial and recreational fishers are expected to abide by fisheries laws, so too are seafood retailers.

“I&I NSW Fisheries Officers continue to conduct inspections and targeted covert operations to detect and deter illegal activity in an effort to significantly reduce the black market seafood sales.

“The community expects all those who catch and sell seafood in NSW to abide by the law.

“Any information on blackmarket sales should be referred to fisheries officers or the Fishers Watch phoneline on 1800 043 536.”

Further reading

Recreational fishing rules and regulations