Three South Coast fishers fined a total of $24,800
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A 38-year-old commercial fisherman from Nowra was fined a total of $5000 in Nowra Local Court on 16 December.
He pleaded guilty to four fisheries offences, which included fishing in closed waters, illegal use of nets, and obstructing and threatening a fisheries officer.
NSW Department of Primary Industries (DPI) Manager Special Operations (Fisheries Tony Andrews said on 6 June fisheries officers apprehended the man undertaking illegal fishing in the closed waters of the Shoalhaven River upstream of Calymea Creek, west of Nowra.
The offender’s two commercial meshing nets.
Mr Andrews said the waters of the Shoalhaven River upstream of Calymea Creek were closed to the setting of nets except when used by the method known as ‘splashing’ (that is shooting the net, splashing and retrieving it in a continuous operation) for the period 15 May to 31 August each year.
“This closure has been set in place by NSW DPI to protect migrating and spawning native Australian bass fish stocks.
“Fisheries officers have been undertaking ongoing patrols of these waters in an effort to ensure compliance of this regulation is maintained. Illegal fishing will not be tolerated,” he said.
Another incident involving illegal netting of fish on the south coast has led to two men being fined a total of $19,800 in Moruya Court on 16 December.
A 45-year-old charter boat operator from Merimubla and a 33-year-old commercial fisherman from Botany, Sydney, were apprehended by NSW DPI fisheries officers who were conducting a surveillance operation on 19 July at Haycock Point east of Pambula.
Mr Andrews said the men were using a mesh net in the ocean that was set on the bottom of the reef to target reef fish species.
He said fisheries officers seized the 51-metre mesh net, a 3.85 metre boat and trailer and 79 mixed fish including five groper.
The men were charged with possessing more than the maximum quantity of fish, use of an unlawful net, possessing an unlawful net, possessing fish illegally taken and taking groper by an unauthorised method.
The Merimbula man was fined a total of $8,800 while the Botany man was fined a total of $11,000.
Mr Andrews said the key message was that the use of mesh nets by recreational fishers to catch fish was prohibited.
“Only licensed commercial fishers with the appropriate endorsements are allowed to use mesh nets in specific areas. Mesh nets are completely banned from use in ocean waters in NSW to protect reef fish species such as groper,” he said.
Media contact: Sarah Chester on 02 6036 2110 or 0417 207 669.