Men caught snatching lobsters

[DICER]

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Men caught snatching lobsters (from the Australian)

22dec05

TWO men suspected of stealing rock lobsters from pots off the Perth coast face potential long jail sentences and a fine amounting to hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Fisheries and Marine officers stopped two men, aged 32 and 25, around 4am (WST) on Saturday allegedly with 46 rock lobsters – 38 undersized.

The lobsters were returned to the sea.

The men were questioned and are expected to be charged next week.

Todd A'Vard, the Fisheries and Marine metropolitan region compliance manager, said the most serious charge the men face was interfering with fishing gear, which carried a maximum fine of $25,000 and 12 months' imprisonment.

"Considering the time of day, the size of some of the lobsters, the number of pots pulled and the number of lobsters they had in their possession, there are numerous alleged offences," Mr A'Vard said.

There had been reports of lobsters being poached from pots in the Fremantle area over the past few weeks.

Mr A'Vard said it was difficult to police lobster poaching as there are thousands of privately-owned pots right up and down the WA coast.

The WA lobster season has had a slow start this year as there has been a late start to summer.

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when will it happen for muddies?

[isaac]

it happens every year over there before christmas, > some idiots will never learn.

[rajawolf]

Very very expensive lobsters for them pr!cks...hope they get fined the full penalty under law.

[fishingnottake]

about time

[roz]

Hi Dicer,

It's good to see some stiffer penalties being dished out (yet to be decided??)

I wonder if ratting a humble crab trap in QLD would attract a similar response.... me thinks not.

Good reading your posts in '05 Dicer.

All the best for Christmas & New Year.

Cheers Roz.

[kleiny]

good to see someone getting caught should be more of it
kleiny