commercial crayfisher fine

ABC Perth        7 October 2019
 

A commercial fisherman caught taking 'totally protected' crayfish and removing the tarspot from 224 crayfish has been ordered to pay $76,766.40 in fines, penalties and court costs.

Fisheries WA said officers found tarspot pieces on the boat’s deck and in the holds, and 224 crayfish in the day’s consignment with the tarspot removed, following an inspection of his vessel.

Female western rock lobsters which have a tarspot or are carrying eggs are 'totally protected' and Fisheries said they must be be returned to the water immediately if caught – before the next pot is pulled.

"This applies to commercial and recreational fishers and is important to maximise breeding stock and ensure the sustainability of the fishery," they said.

"You can call FishWatch 24/7 on 1800 815 507 to report any suspected illegal fishing activity."

 


Posts: 5981

Date Joined: 17/06/10

Conficate all fishing gear

Thu, 2019-10-10 23:27

Where was this published, did it name the offender.
Is this a fair dinkum report

In this day and age when the fishing laws on crays are so liberal there is only one reason IMO that this sort of thing would be done and that is pure greed.
However, I must qualify that by saying it would be interesting to read all the facts associated with the offence.

little johnny's picture

Posts: 5359

Date Joined: 04/12/11

If true

Fri, 2019-10-11 00:45

Why didn’t they get boat taken ? If it was amature fisherman bang boat gone. Seems odd

Posts: 5981

Date Joined: 17/06/10

Agreed, boat and licence should be forfeited

Fri, 2019-10-11 17:55

After reading article I think that the boat and fishing licence should be forfeited fine of ten times the value of the catch is stiff but there it is. Deckies should also be fined for participating in an unlawful act.

carnarvonite's picture

Posts: 8667

Date Joined: 24/07/07

Decky

Fri, 2019-10-11 18:31

 Decky gets told what to do by the skipper, don't do it then look for another job and forget the end of season bonus that can run into thousands of dollars

sea-kem's picture

Posts: 14967

Date Joined: 30/11/09

 I'd feel very very sorry for

Fri, 2019-10-11 19:15

 I'd feel very very sorry for any young deckie that finds themself in that situation. Dog act by the skipper, but if he's involved in that kind of activity then a dog of the highest order.

____________________________________________________________________________

Love the West!

timboon's picture

Posts: 2957

Date Joined: 14/11/10

 Before anyone jumps on this

Fri, 2019-10-11 05:52

 Before anyone jumps on this i think we need to read the actual report,

 

Seems very odd...

little johnny's picture

Posts: 5359

Date Joined: 04/12/11

Hence if true

Fri, 2019-10-11 06:38

.

NORUN NOFUN's picture

Posts: 1035

Date Joined: 15/08/11

It is definitely true, this

Fri, 2019-10-11 08:02

It is definitely true, this is off the fisheries facebook page, so same as post :- PURE GREED !

A commercial fisher was last week ordered to pay $76,766.40 in fines,penalties and court costs related to charges of taking totally protected fish and mutilation of 224 lobsters by removing tarspot.

Fisheries officers had inspected his vessel and found tarspot pieces on the boat’s deck and in the holds, and 224 lobsters in the day’s consignment with the tarspot removed.

Female western rock lobsters that have a tarspot or are carrying eggs are totally protected and, if caught, must be returned to the water immediately – before the next pot is pulled, or before you catch another lobster when diving. This applies to commercial and recreational fishers and is important to maximise breeding stock and ensure the sustainability of the fishery.

If you’re fishing for rock lobster recreationally and want to check the rules, the Rock lobster recreational fishing guide was recently updated and is available now on our website: https://bit.ly/2o2jghj

You can call FishWatch 24 hours a day, seven days a week on 1800 815 507 to report any suspected illegal fishing activity.

scubafish's picture

Posts: 962

Date Joined: 15/08/12

Got Off light

Fri, 2019-10-11 08:11

For a commercial fisherman,what about the deck hands ?
Where they charged with accessory to the crime.
Compare the case's .

http://www.fish.wa.gov.au/About-Us/Media-releases/Pages/Sales-of-recreationally-caught-rock-lobster-attract-big-fines-in-WA-courts.aspx

____________________________________________________________________________

http://img.gg/BQ91Sys

Mike17's picture

Posts: 323

Date Joined: 30/06/13

Link to Full Article

Fri, 2019-10-11 10:48

 

Link to full article

 

 

 

http://www.fish.wa.gov.au/About-Us/Media-releases/Pages/Commercial-fisher-fined-76766-over-totally-protected-lobsters.aspx

____________________________________________________________________________

 Use The Force

hezzy's picture

Posts: 1521

Date Joined: 27/11/09

the fisheries have done the

Fri, 2019-10-11 11:27

the fisheries have done the job on the guy and he has been caught which is good ,

it is worth considering he is just one bad apple who is acommercial , same as there are within rec ranks

when weighing up is the fine appropriate ?

then roughly figuring if his 224 crays where all A size or close to so he would of had roughly 224 crays @ 500 gm each = 112 kg for sale which @$70 a kg = $7840 if sold

so the fine of 76 k is approximatly 10 x the value of his catch at sale price of $7840

so if he is a first offender ? and depending on his record in the industry etc etc probably about inline with what you would expect to cop

not defending it , just looking at the rational behind it

____________________________________________________________________________

OFW 11

evil flourishes when good men do nothing

 

timboon's picture

Posts: 2957

Date Joined: 14/11/10

 Should've been banned for

Fri, 2019-10-11 11:58

 Should've been banned for life. 

Assets seized etc etc

 

What zone was he fishing in does anyone know?

Mike17's picture

Posts: 323

Date Joined: 30/06/13

Leeman

Fri, 2019-10-11 12:09

 Article saye fishing out of Leeman.

____________________________________________________________________________

 Use The Force

scubafish's picture

Posts: 962

Date Joined: 15/08/12

Just My Opinion !

Fri, 2019-10-11 21:24

Great they got him,dont get me wrong.

But if i was 18 and just starting out in the fishing industry and was going to make a career of it I would be saying

"You Fu*& Pr&% try to beat the system for your own personal gain and profit "

A system that is put in place to protect our future.

 

And did'nt even show up at court!!
YOU BRING SHAME TO YOUR VILLAGE !!

____________________________________________________________________________

http://img.gg/BQ91Sys

timboon's picture

Posts: 2957

Date Joined: 14/11/10

 Quotas, generally been

Fri, 2019-10-11 20:07

 Quotas, generally been catching plenty of Crays. 

Good price etc etc etc.

The only reason I asked was - If he'd been fishing south coast zones where Crays can be hard to come by then I would view this differently. Still wrong but a little desperation in his action.

This was purely laziness, greed and total disrespectful to his industry.

Fuck him off and set an example

sea-kem's picture

Posts: 14967

Date Joined: 30/11/09

 Sorry Boony there are no

Fri, 2019-10-11 20:12

 Sorry Boony there are no excuses, same as in my industry you take shortcuts you pay the penalty or go to jail. Fuck him!

____________________________________________________________________________

Love the West!

Jackfrost80's picture

Posts: 8141

Date Joined: 07/05/12

Just like saying the bloke in

Fri, 2019-10-11 23:01

Just like saying the bloke in charge of awarding tenders in country council can almost be excused for accepting kickbacks because he is earning 1/3 of the bloke in a large metro council

____________________________________________________________________________

Officially off the Pies bandwagon

timboon's picture

Posts: 2957

Date Joined: 14/11/10

 I'm certainly not meeting

Sun, 2019-10-13 06:58

 I'm certainly not meeting excuses, I more meant desperation could have been a factor.

Fishing out of Leeman clearly it ain't.

Shouldn't be ever allowed to fish again

Posts: 2080

Date Joined: 16/05/09

 Fined heavily now take the

Sun, 2019-10-13 08:30

 Fined heavily now take the license and boat he is a cowboy.

little johnny's picture

Posts: 5359

Date Joined: 04/12/11

Double standards

Mon, 2019-10-14 12:43

In my books. Amateurs done heaps less than this offence, and lost boat . Taking tar spot females only going to effect his future. Dumb move.