A Melbourne man has copped a $20,000 fine after he was caught illegally fishing a threatened fish species.
The fisherman, aged in his 60s, has also been banned from fishing for five years and had his ute confiscated for a series of incidents in Victoria’s north-east and in Melbourne last year.
Paul Shea from Victorian Fisheries Authority said the man faced several charges relating to an illegal haul of golden perch from Lake Hume, near Albury Wodonga, and a commercial quantity of abalone.
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“The man was already serving a two year prohibition on fishing when Fisheries Officers apprehended him and another man at Lake Hume with more than twice the daily bag limit of golden perch,” Shea said.
“Officers had inspected the pair in a boat at the lake’s northern end, where they presented 10 golden perch as their catch of the day. The bag limit is 5 per person so all appeared well.”
Another 12 golden perch were found concealed on the boat’s floor.
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Victorian Fisheries Authority only allows golden perch up to 30cm in size to be caught and some of these 22 fish were up to 60cm long.
Officers took the man’s 5.1m boat and seized the fishing gear and illegally caught fish.
A search at a property in Melbourne then found more than 200 abalone meats.
One of the men pleaded guilty to five charges and was convicted, fined $20,000 and banned from fishing.
His $25,000 2014 Toyota Hilux was also forfeited.
The second man pleaded guilty to lesser charges earlier this year in the Wodonga Magistrates Court and was ordered to pay $850.
In the same court, a couple aged in their 60s were convicted and fined $7000, were ordered to pay $5000 in costs and had fishing gear seized.
They had been fishing squid and tailor at Queenscliff and Lakes Entrance in Victoria and then selling them illegally on the street and to a restaurant in Melbourne.
Under Victorian law, only licensed commercial fishers can sell their catch.
Shea said illegally selling recreationally-caught fish undermines the commercial fishing sector in Victoria and threatens sustainability.
“Victoria is home to world-class fisheries that provide sustainable seafood and cherished recreational fishing opportunities, and we want to keep it that way,” he said.
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