Fishermen caught at Flat Rock

[Fafnir]

Not sure if this has already been posted but I thought I would share this:

Queensland Government
Department of Employment, Economic Development and Innovation

Media Release

1 March 2010

Flat Rock closed to protect the endangered

Two recreational fishers have been fined $1800 plus court costs for three separate fishing offences at Flat Rock.

Queensland Boating and Fisher Patrol (QBFP) district officer Don Garnett said the two fishers were caught at Flat Rock, off North Stradbroke with 29 mixed species of fish – a number of which were undersized.

“The fishers were in possession of eleven undersize snapper, and eight undersize red throat emperor,” Mr Garnett said.

“The fishers also had 12 snapper in total - two more than the legal bag limit of 10.”

Mr Garnett said the fishers were also charged with contravening a regulated waters declaration at Flat Rock.

“We hope this sends a strong message about the importance of knowing Queensland’s recreational fishing rules and regulations, specifically relating to bag and size limits, coral reef finfish possession and closed waters in Queensland,” he said.

“Species such as coral reef fin fish are a very valuable resource and rules are in place to ensure the sustainability of this stock.

“Fishing in Flat Rock is off limits to fishing in order to protect grey nurse sharks.
“Under Commonwealth legislation, this species is listed as critically endangered with only an estimated 300 to 500 sharks left on Australia's east coast.

“To reduce risk of harm or disturbance to the sharks, fishing and diving restrictions apply to the key sites of Wolf Rock, Flat Rock, Henderson Rock and Cherub's Cave.

“The maximum fine for unlawfully fishing in a grey nurse shark protection area is $100,000.”

For further information on Queensland’s recreational fishing rules and regulations contact Fisheries Queensland on 13 25 23 or visit www.dpi.qld.gov.au (http://www.dpi.qld.gov.au)

[culbara]

should have took their boat too

[Chris Ryan]

Good to see enforcement at work.

[albey]

Good!No sympathy from me.Taking excessive catch and under sized fish has and always will be a no no for me not to mention the ammunition that it gives the do gooders like Pe-ew etc.
Pure greed!!!!!

[Horse]

Only $1800 is a joke. They have tjhumbed their nose at every level of our efforts towards a sustainable fishery

Over the bag limit
Undersize fish
Fishing in a protected area

Book em Dano.... And throw away the boat

[tunaticer]

Two recreational fishers have been fined $1800 plus court costs for three separate fishing offences at Flat Rock.


Mr Garnett said the fishers were also charged with contravening a regulated waters declaration at Flat Rock.


“Fishing in Flat Rock is off limits to fishing in order to protect grey nurse sharks.

“The maximum fine for unlawfully fishing in a grey nurse shark protection area is $100,000.”



Seems to me that the judge did not factor in anything for the fishing in the protected zone.....that alone should be worth 10k or so for three different offences there.

[lampuki]

Thanks for the post....glad to see some offenders being caught.

I think those prosecuted should have to serve time repaying the damage they have done. Maybe force them to do VMR duties for half a year or do ramp duties handing out fliers and educating the public on the regs....the embarrasment and education may well be more effective for them and those who break the law, than paying a fine, which for some offenders, maybe chump change. I think time served in conjuction with a fine may be a greater deterent to all those who break the law, rather than just those who will feel the pinch of a fine, which in this instance, IMO, is not appropriate.

[mull dog]

No sympathy from me for anyone caught in restricted zones or with illegal catch, be it in quantity or size or no take species. with the technology available to us today there is no excuse. i agree that their boat should have been confiscated. people get their cars confiscated for doing a burn out so why not?
this kind of activity is a huge detrement to the hard work being done by ecofishers and the boys working on the snapper fishery thingy.

[4x4frog]

Excellent to see they have been nabbed for touting the laws and I agree, they should have had some fine/penalty for the exclusion zone breech too.

[Captain Seaweed]

take their boat for 3 months I say.

[timddo]

Well, Think of it this way guys

It could be a once a year fishermen who has no internet access. Now the Derm or whatever they call it don't actually put signs up , No fishing area, boundry starts here. C-Maps don't actually contain the area in green.

As a first offence $1800 is fine. repeat and commercial offenders are a different story. I have never fished that area b4 and without a gps, i wouldn't know what , where and there based on land marks.

$10,000 fine is ok if it's to someone else and not YOU.


I read recently an ausfish member got fined $$$ for fishing in a green zone, so everyone makes mistakes unintentionally.

I think the fine is fair

[Fafnir]

I don't know if the amount of the fine sends a strong message. It's not a huge fine. But I agree with timddo on this one. I have fished with guys that only fish a few times each year who were surprised to hear that there are green zones, and only have a vague idea of size/bag limits. Nice guys, just not up to date.

I think it would be very easy to accidentally end up fishing in a green zone, so without knowing the guys and with limited information, it's hard to say if a fine for fishing in an exclusion zone would be warranted. And I for one am not a fan of the bulk of the green zones around the place and am against there being any fine for fishing in them. I know I would be filthy with any sort of a fine myself for accidentally fishing in a green zone.

Exceeding the size/bag limit is a different matter altogether.

[ospery888]

what a pissy fine, should have fined them market price per kilo plus court fees plus taken boat,plus maxium penalty for each offence comitted >:(

[Axl]

Well, Think of it this way guys

It could be a once a year fishermen who has no internet access. Now the Derm or whatever they call it don't actually put signs up , No fishing area, boundry starts here. C-Maps don't actually contain the area in green.

As a first offence $1800 is fine. repeat and commercial offenders are a different story. I have never fished that area b4 and without a gps, i wouldn't know what , where and there based on land marks.

$10,000 fine is ok if it's to someone else and not YOU.


I read recently an ausfish member got fined $$$ for fishing in a green zone, so everyone makes mistakes unintentionally.

I think the fine is fair

You are dead right timddo I think a $1800 fine would stop most people from doing it again.

As you said there are no signs to alert people so if you have not been keeping up with all the going's on in the past couple of years mistakes are easy to make. However if there was a second offence then it would be time to get serious.