Fishy find lands angler in strife
What do you guys think of this? Pretty dodgey stuff, really...
http://www.watoday.com.au/wa-news/fishy-find-lands-angler-in-strife-20090522-bhod.html
Fishy find lands angler in strife
Chris Thomson May 22, 2009 - 9:22AM
A tipoff has landed an Alexander Heights fisherman in hot water, after he was allegedly caught red-handed with 42 undersize pink snapper.
Department of Fisheries officers said the man had a haul of 69 fish in total when they searched his boat at Hillarys Boat Harbour on May 13.
Departmental compliance manager Todd A'Vard said his colleagues seized 42 undersize pink snapper, a tiny tarwhine and a scrawny skippy.
"The average size of the undersize pink snapper seized is 223 millimetres," Mr A'Vard said.
"The minimum legal size for pink snapper, taken south of Lancelin, is 450 millimetres.
"Pink snapper is one of the high risk species and the daily bag limit is two per fisher."
Mr A'Vard said the rules were in place to ensure the sustainability of fin-fish stocks.
"The Fisheries and Marine Officers were not only shocked to find one person with so many fish, they were also concerned to see so many undersize fish in the haul," he said.
"This matter will proceed to prosecution and we are in the process of establishing the charges that will be issued against the fisher.
"He is likely to face charges for breaching bag limit rules as well as taking undersize fish, which each have potential fines of up to $5000."
If the fisherman is found guilty, he will automatically face an additional mandatory penalty, which could be well over $6000, if the magistrate were to choose the option of assigning the penalty on a per-fish basis.
"The mandatory penalty is 10 times the prescribed value of the fish by number or weight," Mr A'Vard explained.
"In this case, each of the 42 undersize snapper is valued at $15 per fish, tarwhine have a prescribed value of $2 per fish and skippy a prescribed value of $1 per fish."
soupster51
Posts: 2724
Date Joined: 29/11/06
Good
I hope they smash this clown to the full extent of the law. 'They' seem to go way to easy. I'm all for maximum punishment in cases like this. I want my kids to catch fish in the future and this sort of thing is going to make that harder than it already is. Smash him.......
The best reason for doing what's right today is tomorrow.
Fozz
Posts: 224
Date Joined: 01/08/08
Bloody Hell
Good to see justice is served and he's slapped with a decent fine. Can't understand the mentality of some people.
Fozz
Mick
Posts: 501
Date Joined: 28/08/06
Throw the book at the
Throw the book at the bastard. But can someone please explain to me how the "mandatory" penalty is left to the magistrates discretion. In the words of our beloved Pauline "Please explain".
Must be a half decent fisherman though. Would've been good fun on light gear
Cheers Mick
If the lord did not mean for us to eat fish and game, he wouldn't have made them outta meat
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train
Posts: 102
Date Joined: 09/03/09
The mandatory penalty can
The mandatory penalty can either be on a weight basis or a per fish basis. The officers would have recorded both so the magistrate gets to choose under which measurement the fish are measured. The higher penalty will be per fish. 90% sure he will be fined per fish.
Dreamweaver
Posts: 4688
Date Joined: 01/12/07
Yup, spot on Train
Being often a Court Orderly in Magistrates Court, that is how it would work. I hope he goes before (draws) the Chief Magistrate!
From a purely personal perspective:
Deserves the full extent of the law.
Just one episode like this does irreparable damage to the public perception of the larger fishing public that do the right thing!
Soon to be de "dreamweaver" ed!
Rob_Seed
Posts: 219
Date Joined: 09/04/08
Yep if your doing that
Yep if your doing that your asking for it he deserves every punishment he gets...
Just one more cast
NATHAN
Posts: 5
Date Joined: 16/12/08
Why the hell would you even
Why the hell would you even take fish that size he should have his boat taken off him and all of his fishing gear deatroyed and given a life ban for being on the water now thats a fair charge
Colin Hay
Posts: 10407
Date Joined: 23/10/07
That is the sort of act that gives fishermen a bad name
and leads to more regulations being handed down that effect the rule following anglers.
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Hobie-Wan
Posts: 119
Date Joined: 04/10/08
Well, note the article said
Well, note the article said the guy was caught from a tip-off. I wonder if it was that fishwatch line working..? Anyway, someone out there did the right thing.
wopjrb
Posts: 1407
Date Joined: 05/03/09
anybody get that selfish pr*cks rego thats disgusting
everybody else does the right thing and releases the small pinkies and that bloke goes and rapes the fish population - "YOU COULD GET THAT FEED FROM SAND WHITING YOU LOSER"
"respect may authoritay" - eric cartman
Ryan Thipthorp (not verified)
Posts: 16
Date Joined: 01/01/70
mmmhhhhhhhh!
What a looser, doing that stuff is why Fisheries want more restrictions.
"He is likely to face charges for breaching bag limit rules as well as taking undersize fish, which each have potential fines of up to $5000."
This is the prob, why do the justice sysyem always go for the "up to" stuff but dont deliver.....go the max, take away his boat and "air" the fine for others to absorb!
Seawalker
Posts: 7
Date Joined: 28/04/09
Better Education Needed?
Thanks Hobie-Wan.
Not to make any excuses for this guy, but maybe we do need better education on size and bag limits? With increasing fishing pressure it may even be an idea to introduce general recreational fishing licences. A basic "fishing test" to obtain the licence would ensure people are aware of the rules.
Then they'd have NO excuses and maximum penalties would be fully justified.
Hobie-Wan
Posts: 119
Date Joined: 04/10/08
I'd like to think that
I'd like to think that putting guys like this "in the stocks", as is being done, will discourage people from doing similarly dodgy stuff.
Ryan Thipthorp (not verified)
Posts: 16
Date Joined: 01/01/70
My Take!
Rules & regs "change all the time" and is indepth so a test wouldnt help (jmo)
My take; with Fisheries fish stickers, Fisheries size & bag limits brochures, Fisheries Species id brochures and a 24 hour Fisheries Online versions of ALL mentioned there's no excuses!
tailor marc
Posts: 2979
Date Joined: 27/09/06
Take his boat aswell
Take his boat aswell
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till
Posts: 9358
Date Joined: 21/02/08
For sure, confiscate the
For sure, confiscate the boat. That isn't a technical foul, its really REALLY BRAZEN transgression and it needs a hefty penalty.
Hobie-Wan
Posts: 119
Date Joined: 04/10/08
Its a bit crazy that we can
Its a bit crazy that we can go to the shops, and buy baby pink snapper that size for like $25 a kilo or whatever, but if you catch them yourself you get busted. Now I think this guy should be busted, don't get me wrong, but it seems like double standards from the govt if commercial guys are allowed to MAKE money off something that will LOSE a lot of money for a reccie...
till
Posts: 9358
Date Joined: 21/02/08
This came up on wangler
This came up on wangler awhile back ... They're not likely to be australian pink snapper if they're undersize. The pros have to throw back undersize here, even if they're dead.
Its still irrelevant, and not the issue. You can waste any amount of time bringing up that recreational crayers can keep big females but pros can't. Bikes are allowed to ride two abreast but trucks aren't.
ody
Posts: 581
Date Joined: 30/12/06
Hi Ya, "They're not
Hi Ya,
"They're not likely to be australian pink snapper if they're undersize."
Know where you are coming from Till, but still a double standard. Apparently it is quite OK for pro fishermen in other countries to rape and pillage the fish stocks in their own country and then export it here but not OK for our pros to take fish the same size.
We'll complain bitterly when their stocks of fish, small and large, disappear and then they come into ou back yard to do teh same thing.
Cheers.
Hobie-Wan
Posts: 119
Date Joined: 04/10/08
OK thanks Till.. I did not
OK thanks Till.. I did not know that. I am glad that at the local commercial guys have to throw back the little-uns too.
till
Posts: 9358
Date Joined: 21/02/08
They do presently although
They do presently although the local longliners were arguing for a smaller legal sizes so that they wouldn't have to throw back so many undersize dead fish. Talk about a lousy argument ...
Wrassassin
Posts: 102
Date Joined: 01/03/09
This is nothing short of
This is nothing short of disgusting.
The sad thing is i would bet my left nut that they knew exactly bag and size limits!
bilby
Posts: 46
Date Joined: 30/12/08
omg....
omg....
egi egi egi
gpc123
Posts: 265
Date Joined: 12/02/07
No Fine 24 Months Lock Up......
Regards Geoff
Single dad and proud of him
Dreamweaver
Posts: 4688
Date Joined: 01/12/07
Good Outcome Geoff!
Well deserved!
Soon to be de "dreamweaver" ed!
fords_rule85
Posts: 116
Date Joined: 05/03/09
TOOL!!
What a fu%@!ng tool, hope someone teaches him a lesson!!
Paul G
Posts: 5215
Date Joined: 12/12/07
What can I say,put him in
What can I say,put him in jail for a start..
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joe amato
Posts: 731
Date Joined: 21/12/08
throw the book at him
i say throw the book at him,confiscate his boat,fine him and throw him in jail and make the key 2 his cell disapear,that disgusts me,that people in this day and age are still doing stupid things like this,that makes it harder for us anglers who do the right thing