Derek Bullock
13-06-2010, 11:27 AM
Minister for Primary Industries, Fisheries and Rural and Regional Queensland
The Honourable Tim Mulherin
13/06/2010 Night-time raid costs illegal crabber his boat and $5000
13 June 2010
A recreational fisher has lost his boat and been fined $5,000 by Brisbane's Magistrates Court on Wednesday after being found with an illegal haul of mud crabs.
Minister for Primary Industries, Fisheries and Rural and Regional Queensland Tim Mulherin said the fisher was found with excess, undersized and female mud crabs.
"The crabs were found in a secret onboard compartment by Queensland Boating and Fisheries Patrol (QBFP) officers," the Minister said.
"This was a deliberate attempt to ignore Queensland's fishing rules and regulations, which are designed to ensure our fishery remains sustainable.
"The fisher was convicted for this offence and his boat, which has been forfeited to the crown, could be destroyed.
"This action sends a clear warning to people who deliberately conceal fisheries products with the intent to get away with illegal catch.
"Any fisher who gets caught with a secret compartment containing illegal catch is at risk of losing their boat.
"The recreational fisher from Brisbane was convicted on three charges - possessing 13 female, 10 undersized and 22 excess mud crabs."
"This is not a case of a recreational fisher not knowing the rules, it was a calculated attempt at breaking them," the Minister said.
"The hidden compartment wasn't found when QBFP officers first searched the boat. It was only after a thorough inspection by officers that the compartment was found.
The Minister said male mud crabs have a bag limit of 10 and a size limit of 15 centimetres.
"We take these offences very seriously and fines are high for those found guilty," he said.
"In this case the defendant has also lost his boat, which is estimated to be worth about $8,000.
"This latest court ruling comes after a commercial fisher was fined $45,000 in April for being in possession of 158 female mud crabs.
"People willing to take a chan ce and break the law should know that our officers will catch and prosecute them.
"This fisher went to great lengths to conceal his illegal catch, but it's not a matter of if you get caught but when."
QBFP officer Hayley Meiers said the investigation was in response to complaints from the public about night-time activity at boat ramps around Brisbane.
"We want to thank the community for being vigilant on this occasion - with their help we can continue to target our resources at those who ignore the law," she said.
"We inspected the defendant's boat in February at the Pinkenba boat ramp.
"After searching the boat, we found a concealed compartment under the floor containing two bags of regulated crabs.
"The compartment had clearly been constructed with the intent to conceal fish catch.
"More than 700,000 people fish each year in Queensland and the majority of them adhere to the rules.
"In 2009, officers carried ou t 43,687 fisheries inspections which resulted in a total of 1094 fines or prosecutions for illegal fishing, while a further 670 people were cautioned.
"These figures reflect the fact that Queensland has a very high compliance rate within the fishing sector at nearly 97 percent."
Ms Meiers said anyone with information on suspect illegal fishing activity should contact the 24-hour Fishwatch hotline on 1800 017 116.
The Honourable Tim Mulherin
13/06/2010 Night-time raid costs illegal crabber his boat and $5000
13 June 2010
A recreational fisher has lost his boat and been fined $5,000 by Brisbane's Magistrates Court on Wednesday after being found with an illegal haul of mud crabs.
Minister for Primary Industries, Fisheries and Rural and Regional Queensland Tim Mulherin said the fisher was found with excess, undersized and female mud crabs.
"The crabs were found in a secret onboard compartment by Queensland Boating and Fisheries Patrol (QBFP) officers," the Minister said.
"This was a deliberate attempt to ignore Queensland's fishing rules and regulations, which are designed to ensure our fishery remains sustainable.
"The fisher was convicted for this offence and his boat, which has been forfeited to the crown, could be destroyed.
"This action sends a clear warning to people who deliberately conceal fisheries products with the intent to get away with illegal catch.
"Any fisher who gets caught with a secret compartment containing illegal catch is at risk of losing their boat.
"The recreational fisher from Brisbane was convicted on three charges - possessing 13 female, 10 undersized and 22 excess mud crabs."
"This is not a case of a recreational fisher not knowing the rules, it was a calculated attempt at breaking them," the Minister said.
"The hidden compartment wasn't found when QBFP officers first searched the boat. It was only after a thorough inspection by officers that the compartment was found.
The Minister said male mud crabs have a bag limit of 10 and a size limit of 15 centimetres.
"We take these offences very seriously and fines are high for those found guilty," he said.
"In this case the defendant has also lost his boat, which is estimated to be worth about $8,000.
"This latest court ruling comes after a commercial fisher was fined $45,000 in April for being in possession of 158 female mud crabs.
"People willing to take a chan ce and break the law should know that our officers will catch and prosecute them.
"This fisher went to great lengths to conceal his illegal catch, but it's not a matter of if you get caught but when."
QBFP officer Hayley Meiers said the investigation was in response to complaints from the public about night-time activity at boat ramps around Brisbane.
"We want to thank the community for being vigilant on this occasion - with their help we can continue to target our resources at those who ignore the law," she said.
"We inspected the defendant's boat in February at the Pinkenba boat ramp.
"After searching the boat, we found a concealed compartment under the floor containing two bags of regulated crabs.
"The compartment had clearly been constructed with the intent to conceal fish catch.
"More than 700,000 people fish each year in Queensland and the majority of them adhere to the rules.
"In 2009, officers carried ou t 43,687 fisheries inspections which resulted in a total of 1094 fines or prosecutions for illegal fishing, while a further 670 people were cautioned.
"These figures reflect the fact that Queensland has a very high compliance rate within the fishing sector at nearly 97 percent."
Ms Meiers said anyone with information on suspect illegal fishing activity should contact the 24-hour Fishwatch hotline on 1800 017 116.