DPI Portland man Jailed over Abalone theft

[poppy62]

A 38-year-old Portland man was convicted and ordered to serve a one month prison term in in the Portland Magistrates' Court this week for a range of serious abalone fisheries offences committed in December last year.

The man pleaded guilty to six charges including the use of commercial fishing to take fish for sale, using commercial abalone equipment to take more than twice the catch limit, using commercial fishing equipment to take undersized fish and using prohibited equipment.

He was sentenced to six months prison of which he was ordered to serve one month, with the remaining five months to be suspended for two years.

The man was also fined $500 on the remaining charges of removing the meat from the shell and failing to carry an instrument to measure the abalone.

The court also imposed an order under Section 130 of the Fisheries Act banning him from being in possession of any abalone or abalone equipment within one kilometre of the ocean for a period of five years.

Fisheries Officers observed the man diving with two others in the ocean off Dutton Way in December last year.

When intercepted he was found to have 93 greenlip abalone in his possession, 88 of which had been removed from their shell.

The bag/possession limit for greenlip abalone is two per person per day anywhere in Victoria.

In sentencing the man, Magistrate Jonathon Klestadt said that the Victorian abalone fishery was one of the few viable wild abalone fisheries in the world and that the laws were in place to protect it for future generations.

Anyone who suspects illegal fishing activity is urged to contact the 24 hour fisheries offence reporting line 13 FISH (13 3474).

Media contact: Melanie Curtis (03) 5561 9938

[Peter Skliros]

Great work fisheries

[SFP Chick]

Agreed, good work fisheries.

I only wish he had to serve the entire prison sentence.

I always appreciate it when fisheries nail someone. Good job :thumbsup:

Amanda

[Linc]

Good news! I dived there a few months ago and the greenlip population sure is healthy so it's good to see it's being looked after for the future!