Courts continue stance on lobster and abalone offences
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Magistrates in Wollongong and Nowra Courts have continued to hand down heavy fines for offences dealing with lobsters and abalone.
A 50 year old Pyree man was fined nearly $8000 in the Nowra court after pleading guilty to the possession of undersize abalone and lobsters, exceeding the bag limit for abalone, and for taking lobsters with a spear at Bendalong.
A 33 year old Kianga man was also fined $3130 for the possession of undersized lobsters and obstructing DPI fisheries officers. The man, who was diving at Black Head Gerroa, would not allow officers to inspect his catch which he had hidden in his wetsuit.
The owner of a seafood retail outlet in the Illawarra pleaded guilty to selling a quantity of eastern rock lobsters without tags and was fined $3063. The court heard that the untagged lobsters had been obtained from a recreational fisher. All eastern rock lobsters that are sold in NSW are required to have tags; this allows for the total number caught and sold commercially to be managed and aids in preventing the black-market trade by some recreational fishers.
Three Sydney men also appeared in court and were fined $3500 for the possession of undersized fish and exceeding their bag limits while throwing in a line during a fishing trip to Lake Illawarra.
A 43 year old Port Kembla man was also fined $800 for exceeding his possession limit for lobsters while diving at Hill 60, Port Kembla.
These convictions and fines come of top of $13,000 worth of fines handed out for abalone and lobster offences late last month.
It is important that people are aware of the rules before they go fishing.
Lobsters are only allowed to be taken by hand or trap, because taking them by spear does not give divers the chance to release them alive if they are undersize.
NSW recreational fishers are allowed a maximum of two lobsters per person, and two abalone per person per day. The taking of abalone is prohibited in all waters between Port Stephens and Wreck Bay.
Measuring devices and information on diving rules can be obtained from your local DPI Fisheries Office, tackle stores or dive shops. Anyone with information on illegal activity is encouraged to contact their local DPI Fisheries Office or call the Fisher’s Watch line on 1800 043 536.