A Gladstone commercial fisher who failed to remain in attendance of set nets in Auckland Creek, a designated Zone B Dugong Protection Area, was fined $2500 plus $60.25 costs in Gladstone Magistrate’s Court on August 24.

Department of Primary Industries Queensland Boating and Fisheries Patrol prosecuting officer, Rochelle Jupp, said the charges against Michael McMullen, 54, also included using unmarked nets not equipped with mandatory lighting and setting nets more than 800m apart in a Dugong Protection Area.

Ms Jupp told Magistrate Doug Morton that the nets had been found following a night patrol in Auckland Creek last September. Mr McMullen was apprehended when he returned to the scene the following morning.

During a routine patrol of the Swains Reef area by the QB&FP Gladstone-based offshore surveillance vessel, K I Ross, in May this year, licenced assistant fisher, Ashley Gawn, Gladstone, was found in possession of eight undersized coral trout.

Mr Gawn was fishing for live coral trout from a dory. Of the 24 trout found in the on-board tank, eight were under the 38cm legal length. Mr Gawn was fined $1000 plus $60.25 costs.