Fines and fishing bans for abalone thieves

[fishingvic]

Media Release
Wednesday 9 December 2015 | Media contact: Nick Foster 03 8392 6254
www.economicdevelopment.vic.gov.au

Fines and fishing bans for abalone thieves

Seven people who illegally harvested abalone from the Mornington Peninsula have received penalties ranging from $500 to $3000 fines, criminal convictions, the loss of dive and fishing gear and bans on recreational fishing of up to two years.
Senior Fisheries Officer Rod Barber said the Frankston Magistrates Court heard three cases last week involving the illegal harvest of abalone from Sorrento, Cape Schanck and Mornington.
“After a call from a concerned member of the public to 13FISH (133474), Fisheries Officers inspected a male and female at Mills Beach and found 70 abalone,” Mr Barber said.
“The pair resisted arrest and provided false names and addresses.
“Both pleaded guilty, with the principal male offender receiving a criminal conviction and a fine of $3000, while the female received a fine of $500.
“In the second case, again involving a call to 13FISH reporting suspicious diving activity, two men were found with 80 abalone and one rock lobster with eggs at Sorrento.
“The principal offender was fined $2000, received a criminal conviction, was banned from fishing for two years and had all dive gear forfeited.
“The third case involved three Melbourne students, found with 87 abalone at Cape Schanck.
“They were fined $2000 each, banned from fishing for one year and had their fishing equipment forfeited.”
Mr Barber reminded recreational divers that in the Central Zone, which is from the Aire River to Arch Rock and includes Port Phillip and Western Port, abalone may only be taken on every Saturday and Sunday between 16 November 2015 and 30 April 2016, including declared Victorian Public Holidays.
“On these days, the recreational catch limit is five abalone per diver per day.
“Catch limits are individual and a person who has caught their own limit cannot contribute to another person’s catch.
“Divers must carry a measuring device, adhere to minimum sizes, use a blunt instrument and only take abalone from water that is more than 2-metres deep.”
Anyone who sees or suspects illegal fishing activity is urged to call Fisheries Victoria’s 24 hour reporting line 13 FISH (13 3474).