A recreational fisherman from Ormiston has been caught with a 130 metre fishing net used for commercial fishing.
He pleaded guilty in Cleveland Magistrates Court after being caught with the nets and undersized fish and crabs.
Queensland Boating and Fisheries Patrol (QBFP) Redland officers caught the man in Raby Bay on April 4.
They were patrolling with Water Police when they found the fisherman with the 130 metre fishing net containing a no-take blue swimmer crab.
QPFP field officer James Hohenhaus said under Queensland law a person cannot possess or use regulated commercial fishing nets without an authority.
“Seine nets, commonly known as bait nets or drag nets, can be used for recreational fishing in tidal waters, but they cannot be longer than 16 metres or with a mesh size greater than 28 millimetres,” he said.
“It’s important that everyone abides by the rules to assist resource sharing and the long-term sustainability of fish stocks.”
Video footage taken by QBFP shows an officer retrieving the lengthy commercial fishing net in Raby Bay.
A second lengthy fishing net was on the boat.
Officers obtained a warrant and searched the man’s house on April 12, finding eight undersized fish and crabs.
The man was convicted and fined $5500 after pleading guilty to six charges.
The charges under the Fisheries Act 1994 included the use or possession of commercial fishing nets, using unmarked apparatus, not complying with a regulated fishing method and possessing undersized fish.
The man was fined $1000 for possessing regulated fish and crabs, based on $100 per fish and $200 for each crab.
A spokesperson for QBFP said the magistrate warned the fisherman that he had forfeited vessels before and would not rule out possible forfeiture if the man offended again.
The fishing equipment and fish seized during the operation were forfeited.
Suspected illegal fishing can be reported to the Fishwatch hotline on 1800 017 116.
