Water Police Photographing Boats

[tenzing]

Was lucky enough to be out near Lady Musgrave Is yesterday morning. Weather magnificent , fishing dead quiet!
Anyway the local water police came over in their RIB an did the usual safety gear inspections and were very friendly as always. They checked if we knew there was a green zone nearby ( We were about 200m west of its western border,and we were at anchor) and we told them we knew where it was and where we were , and all was cool.
As they motored away they stopped and took some photos of us with what looked like a specialized camera, They had also photographed our friends boat which was anchored next to us and no closer to the zone boundary.

I have never been photographed before on the water, Can anybody tell me what this is about??

I was going to email the Gladstone water police to check but thought someone on here might be able to tell me.
Cheers
Brendan

[ozynorts]

Off Topic, was that you in the Quintrex launching yesterday Brendan? I saw one with Ausfish stickers and gave a wave.

[tenzing]

Off Topic, was that you in the Quintrex launching yesterday Brendan? I saw one with Ausfish stickers and gave a wave.
No sorry , I was in a seafarer and was with a 2400 kevlacat.
Were you up at 1770?
Brendan

[finga]

It's part of their "don't p!ss them off on the water" campaign.
You'll get the tickets in the mail with a nice photo.

Well they do it on land don't they???

[wags on the water]

Maybe they were admiring your boats and wanted to hang the pictures in the pool room....

[finga]

Most wanted posters for Greenies??

[tenzing]

Thanks for the "replies" fellas.
So nobody knows about these things eh?
Brendan

[Greg P]

maybe a bit more of this;

http://www.ausfish.com.au/vforum/showthread.php?159158-research-boat-cape-moreton-area&p=1126716&viewfull=1#post1126716

[tenzing]

maybe a bit more of this;

http://www.ausfish.com.au/vforum/showthread.php?159158-research-boat-cape-moreton-area&p=1126716&viewfull=1#post1126716
Yes it may well be an "intelligence gathering exercise" but I have been having my intelligence stretched even trying to find an email contact for gladstone water police so that I might politely ask them directly.
Cheers
Brendan

[Si]

Was lucky enough to be out near Lady Musgrave Is yesterday morning. Weather magnificent , fishing dead quiet!
Anyway the local water police came over in their RIB an did the usual safety gear inspections and were very friendly as always. They checked if we knew there was a green zone nearby ( We were about 200m west of its western border,and we were at anchor) and we told them we knew where it was and where we were , and all was cool.
As they motored away they stopped and took some photos of us with what looked like a specialized camera, They had also photographed our friends boat which was anchored next to us and no closer to the zone boundary.

I have never been photographed before on the water, Can anybody tell me what this is about??

I was going to email the Gladstone water police to check but thought someone on here might be able to tell me.
Cheers
Brendan

did you have your girlfriend on the boat?

[Fed]

Maybe it's like the car number plate recognition system?

[theoldlegend]

Maybe you had unwittingly wandered into an area where floating packages seem to fall overboard from larger vesels.............. to be collected at a later time............


TOL

[fat-buoy]

At times our work uses specialised cameras that download the GPS data.. that way you can always come back to the spot where the picture was taken... I would say that being that you were right next to the green zone they were using a similar style of camera so that if they caught someone out they would have a photo with the GPS evidence that they were fishing inside the green zone.

[LittleSkipper]

Why don't you call them & ask them why photograph's were taken of your boat? Perhaps they are keeping records of new vessels they confront & question the skippers?

[tenzing]

At times our work uses specialised cameras that download the GPS data.. that way you can always come back to the spot where the picture was taken... I would say that being that you were right next to the green zone they were using a similar style of camera so that if they caught someone out they would have a photo with the GPS evidence that they were fishing inside the green zone.
I had imagined that the camera would record other data as well as the image taken.
Cheers
Brendan

[tenzing]

Why don't you call them & ask them why photograph's were taken of your boat? Perhaps they are keeping records of new vessels they confront & question the skippers?
I would like to call them but cant seem to find a contact for them. Maybe I am not looking in the right place.
Cheers
Brendan

[ozynorts]

No sorry , I was in a seafarer and was with a 2400 kevlacat.
Were you up at 1770?
Brendan
I live up here mate and saw a quinnie with an ausfish flag launching after me. Have no idea about the photo's either!

[Ally Jack]

Maybe you had unwittingly wandered into an area where floating packages seem to fall overboard from larger vesels.............. to be collected at a later time............


TOL

TOL,

I think that could be the reason behind Gladstone's new police RIB, with the triple engines....certainly not outrunning that one

[Muddy Toes]

The water rats aren't the green zone enforcers are they?I thought they were a bit more high tech up that way.Zi plane....Zi plane.....
If not then I need the lats and longs please, pack ya bags TOL......let's roll.

[Schulzy]

they take photos even before they get near ya probably to see if ya dumping fish

[darylive]

A record for the office of who to bother talking to if seen on the water.

i.e. These blokes have been checked and are OK
or
These mongrels need to be checked if you see them out there.

[myusernam]

A record for the office of who to bother talking to if seen on the water.

i.e. These blokes have been checked and are OK
or
These mongrels need to be checked if you see them out there.

yeah i thought that at first i.e. checked these guys dont check em for another 6 months (iget checked all the time and it pisses me off)
but they could just use rego numbers for that. some boats are identical so rego numbers would be better. dont think it's that.
maybe the were non water police helping out and they took some happy snaps of their nice day on the water

[NAGG]

yeah i thought that at first i.e. checked these guys dont check em for another 6 months (iget checked all the time and it pisses me off)
but they could just use rego numbers for that. some boats are identical so rego numbers would be better. dont think it's that.
maybe the were non water police helping out and they took some happy snaps of their nice day on the water

I think you'll find Daryls comments are well founded ......

Chris

[MTAQ/BTAQ]

A few years ago I saw the Fisheries cat go past North West Island (off Gladstone), as they went past they were checking the boats through binoculars, they then disappeared over the horizon but had there "over the horizon" radar watching the island, they then launched their fast jet ski off the mother ship and it slipped in close but still over the horizon. They waited until all boats had left the beach and settled into fishing - they then radioed the ski which ripped in to catch any illegal activity - so be careful!

[tenzing]

They did tell the blokes on the other boat that they had pinged us on the radar from the big boat up at musgrave.
They didnt come a callin as a random thing , I suspect, but cos we were near a green zone boundary. But we had four GPS sources between the two boats and I checked the longitude of the boundary from the GBRMPA map not the Navionics line , which is very slightly different.
I also marked my anchor point on the GPS so it has recorded date and time.
You ARE allowed to fish right up to the boundary, you just have to be able to show that you know where you are.
Brendan

[Dignity]

It would be better if they tell you that they are going to take pictures and why, good communication betweeen all parties can solve a lot of issues, unfortunately this doesn't seem to happen often or not at all. Hope nothing comes of it.

[Owen]

They did tell the blokes on the other boat that they had pinged us on the radar from the big boat up at musgrave.
They didnt come a callin as a random thing , I suspect, but cos we were near a green zone boundary.


There's your reason I reckon.
If they later bust you in a green zone they have pretty good evidence of a pattern of doing it.

[SatNav]

1. If nobody is doing anything wrong then obviously no need for any type of communication and no issues to solve, unless of course there is a feeling of guilt?

2. The ability of the larger police boats and equipment behind/inside the domes are of no threat to the normal law abiding boating public. Although quite impressive what technology can do these days :)

3. There is no way any recreational GPS coords be they from any number of multiple receiver and/or boats will withstand scrutiny in any legal sense re green zones. Put simply no recreational GPS user can guarantee exactly where they are.

4. Anybody trying to justify their positions will require additional augmentation system data that tend not be used by any recreational users due to additional costs and/or the thinking that standard GPS is sufficient.

[TopBhoy]

1. If nobody is doing anything wrong then obviously no need for any type of communication and no issues to solve, unless of course there is a feeling of guilt?

2. The ability of the larger police boats and equipment behind/inside the domes are of no threat to the normal law abiding boating public. Although quite impressive what technology can do these days :)

3. There is no way any recreational GPS coords be they from any number of multiple receiver and/or boats will withstand scrutiny in any legal sense re green zones. Put simply no recreational GPS user can guarantee exactly where they are.

4. Anybody trying to justify their positions will require additional augmentation system data that tend not be used by any recreational users due to additional costs and/or the thinking that standard GPS is sufficient.

So you believe the skipper should not be told why a police boat suddenly comes up and starts filming and photographing their boat when nothing illegal has taken place? If a green area has been strayed into and the boat is clearly not a commercial one...so what? Take the boats name, fine the skipper, let them off with a warning, do whatever but at least have the courtesy and protocol to give the skipper a reason for the intrusion. I'm sure cold war Russia and the current Chinese regimes would be proud of such 'anonymous' surveillance!!! I think it is a concern to all when police take photographs of innocent people conducting themselves in a legal manner.

[ericcs]

every time i'm approached by the water police, they call me by my name. so they have done their rego checks well before they arrive along side your boat

[NAGG]

So you believe the skipper should not be told why a police boat suddenly comes up and starts filming and photographing their boat when nothing illegal has taken place? If a green area has been strayed into and the boat is clearly not a commercial one...so what? Take the boats name, fine the skipper, let them off with a warning, do whatever but at least have the courtesy and protocol to give the skipper a reason for the intrusion. I'm sure cold war Russia and the current Chinese regimes would be proud of such 'anonymous' surveillance!!! I think it is a concern to all when police take photographs of innocent people conducting themselves in a legal manner.

surveillance is all around us ...... if the police pull you over whilst driving there is every chance that it is on video
why worry about it ...... specially if you are doing nothing wrong

Chris

[tenzing]

1. If nobody is doing anything wrong then obviously no need for any type of communication and no issues to solve, unless of course there is a feeling of guilt?

2. The ability of the larger police boats and equipment behind/inside the domes are of no threat to the normal law abiding boating public. Although quite impressive what technology can do these days :)

3. There is no way any recreational GPS coords be they from any number of multiple receiver and/or boats will withstand scrutiny in any legal sense re green zones. Put simply no recreational GPS user can guarantee exactly where they are.

4. Anybody trying to justify their positions will require additional augmentation system data that tend not be used by any recreational users due to additional costs and/or the thinking that standard GPS is sufficient.

I understand your point about the accuracy of recreational GPS, and we were some HUNDREDS of metres outside the boundary, But IF your assertions about the legality of fishing in a place where you make every reasonable endeavour ( and then some) to stay outside a zone are correct, Then the whole point of defining and describing a boundary so as to be observed by the recreational fisherman is a waste of time.

When we were asked if we knew our proximity to the zone , and we described where we beleived it to be , the officers nodded in agreement.
There is also absolutely no feeling of guilt ,and I am sure that this was not meant in any sort of unfriendly way.
My original query was, and still is, about the nature and future uses of the images that were taken.
Cheers
Brendan

[tenzing]

surveillance is all around us ...... if the police pull you over whilst driving there is every chance that it is on video
why worry about it ...... specially if you are doing nothing wrong

Chris
I dont really disagree with this either Chris,
But it is funny how we need permission to film our kids at their swimming carnival , or to take photos at a junior sports match, but we are all just supposed to be tickled pink that we are filmed and photographed all the time for reasons unknown to us.
We are over regulated , over governed and overscrutinized.
I was out fishing in my own boat with friends in a blue zone.
Cheers
Brendan

[Almako]

I reckon there simply justifying there existence back to the command centre, and the photo is evidence they weren't eating donuts all day.
Honestly, what a waste of tax payer money. But a sweet job all the same.

[Boat Hog]

My first thoughts were that the officers were too lazy to take notes while out on the water. Thus the photo's. Do up the daily report while back on shore or the aircon'd police launch- a lot easier than writing while you're bobbing around the ocean.

[WalrusLike]

It could be any of a dozen reasons.... training for instance.

Life's too short to worry why the police do stuff unless they overstep the mark.

They were doing their thing, you were doing yours, nobody hurt, nothing to see here folks move on. :)

What can come of your question? A bland 'normal procedure' type answer is most likely.

I too don't like being stopped for RBT. I hate them bothering me on the water. But I prefer to live in a civil society with some rules and regulation so I grin and bear it.

I am pretty sure we are over governed and over regulated but that's unlikely to change so I reckon ignore it as best you can.

That's my two cents worth. :)

[scrotty]

Hey guys, I used to be a Fisheries officer / Boating Inspector. At the end of each shift a form must be filled containing the details of each boat, the occupants that you spoke to and the position of the vessel during that shift. This info is submitted for many reasons including GBRMPA research such as who and how many people are using a particular area, what they are doing such as fishing/boating/sailing/spearing etc. Police, Fisheries,Maritime Safety, all collect info for each other for a lot of reasons. It can also be used for future rego checks when back in the office. Its a whole lot easier to take a quick pic of the boat and do the checks when back at the office. Unless the law has changed its not illegal to take a photo of a boat on the water. As people have previously said if you are not braking the law you have nothing to worry about. Its the same as any job, you also have to justify what you did for the day. Hope this answers a few questions. Cheers

[Dignity]

3. There is no way any recreational GPS coords be they from any number of multiple receiver and/or boats will withstand scrutiny in any legal sense re green zones. Put simply no recreational GPS user can guarantee exactly where they are.


SatNav, I wonder if this is changing as I am sure that having Charts and a Compass used to be mandatory items especially offshore but the latest Queensland Recreational Boating & Fishing Guide states it is only "Recommended". Now I know that having a compass and a chart can give you an approximately close location however I would think that given the Govt is busy posting GPS coordinates at every ramp so that you can check your accuracy the legal stance should/can change.

[Noelm]

not too sure about the compass being only recommended, however, I kind of think that a GPS would be a better "tool" in a shit fight as to whether you were over a line or not, rather than a line of sight to some obscure buoy or land mark (maybe)

[honda900]

SatNav is right, the Global positioning system was designed to be inaccurate for a number of military reasons therefore the accuracy of any gps could be questioned in court.

PS, the cops were stopping bikes on mount glorious and taking photos of the bike, rego and the riders helmet, as bikes dont have a rego label on the front, this was done as a way to catch speeding bikes.



Regards
Honda.

[Noelm]

not 100% sure the built in "selectivity" (that is the inbuilt error so you can't send a rocket through the White House window) is still current

[fishing111]

I thought the US dropped selected availability years ago unless in a major conflict defined area?

[Noelm]

I guess you should quantify that, GPS is not built inaccurate, there is/was an error induced to all but the military, well, they actually still got the error, but it was automaticaly compensated for.

[fishing111]

Sorry Noelm, looks like we were posting at about the same time.

[honda900]

correct, and that superpower does not give up "homeland rights" easily.


Regards
Honda.

[Bros]

Was lucky enough to be out near Lady Musgrave Is yesterday morning. Weather magnificent , fishing dead quiet!
Anyway the local water police came over in their RIB an did the usual safety gear inspections and were very friendly as always. They checked if we knew there was a green zone nearby ( We were about 200m west of its western border,and we were at anchor) and we told them we knew where it was and where we were , and all was cool.
As they motored away they stopped and took some photos of us with what looked like a specialized camera, They had also photographed our friends boat which was anchored next to us and no closer to the zone boundary.

I have never been photographed before on the water, Can anybody tell me what this is about??

I was going to email the Gladstone water police to check but thought someone on here might be able to tell me.
Cheers
Brendan

Don't worry about it as anyone can take photo's of your boat on the water or anywhere else for that matter except in your own yard.

Ring the Gladstone police and ask to be put through to the water police and ask them.

[BM]

GPS "Selective availability" or (GPS random position error) was switches off for good officially on May 1 2000.

[MTAQ/BTAQ]

I was talking to a local pro crabber the other day and he says they have drones checking onus as well - any truth in that ? (mind you he was very pissed off as his pots had been raided that night and "he knows who did it" sounds like a crab war coming on )

[Dignity]

Noelm, checked and it is definitely "Recommended" only for Charts and Liquid Damped Compass for the appropriate area, it blew me away at the time and I as I was given a box ful of these new publications and given most of them away now I have mentioned it and everyone doesn't believe me. On the flip side though a boat shop I was at the guy there did know it was not Mandatory and weren't too interested in installing them in new boats.

As BM says, the randomness has been turned off with the advent of DGPS which negated any randomness that the military could put into the original signal, and my car GPS is damned accurate especially that is prividing the councils have updated their GIS system with any road changes and I have found my new marine GPS is damned accurate also.

[honda900]

"Selective Availability is still a system capability of GPS, and could, in theory, be reintroduced at any time. In practice, in view of the hazards and costs this would induce for U.S. and foreign shipping, it is unlikely to be reintroduced, and various government agencies, including the FAA have stated that it is not intended to be reintroduced."

REgards
HOnda.

[SatNav]

1. Firstly "Selective Availability" is really a thing of the past. Yes it still exists on individual older satellites but set to zero and will remain that way. New generation and recent launch satellites do not have any SA capability at all and this is in line with the decision to terminate SA, hence something that does not exist can not be reintroduced.

2. The placing of coordinate signs at ramps etc to check GPS is a good initiative but only provides a comparison at that point in time and does not guarantee functionality and/or accuracy between checks.

3. Only in the past few days has it been made known by Boeing that the new satellite launched Oct 4 has modified clocks due to ongoing maintemance and service issues on previous IIF's. The system as most use it is not totally 100% reliable but most do not see those times when things can spike. Some could come unstuck cutting things too fine.

4. I wouldn't take all that much notice of what the FAA says as they spent billions on the biggest lemon in navigation.

[marto78]

Coming back into the river the other week at 1770 and got pulled over by Gladstone water police, while they were doing all the usual safety checks and RBT there was one guy snapping away. I asked what it was all about and they said to me it was to help them identify people and their boats in the case of a search and rescue situation. I don't know how true that is but that was from the horses mouth so to speak.