Local man fined in Yass court

A 65-year-old Yass man was fined a total of $4225 in Yass Local Court on Monday 21 November for using gill nets in the Murrumbidgee River.

The Yass court heard that the man was seen by several witnesses using three gill nets upstream of Burrinjuck Dam late last year.

They reported the man to NSW Department of Primary Industries (DPI) fisheries officers. The officers seized three nets with a total length of 39 metres.

Gill nets are banned in NSW because of the serious risk that they pose to the long term sustainability of NSW fish stocks.

The net, which is shaped like a square, is normally set in still water and basically catches anything that is moving in the river or lake. Fish are generally captured by their gills hence the net’s name.

These nets also pose a serious threat to platypus, water rats, tortoises and water birds.

NSW DPI District Fisheries Officer based at Yass, Tony Day said fisheries officers depend on receiving accurate and timely information from the public to help detect and deter illegal fishing.

He praised the three men who reported the illegal activity for their diligence because of the damaging impact gill nets have on our inland fisheries.

‘Gill nets can be made of synthetic long-lasting material and may be left in the water to ‘ghost fish’ for long periods of time,’ he said.

Mr Day said any suspicious or illegal activity should be reported to any local NSW DPI Fisheries office or by calling the Fishers Watch Hotline on 1800 043 536.

Media contact: Sarah Chester on 02 6036 2110 or 0417 207 669.