FOUR men, including two commercial fishers, have been fined $35,690 for black market fishing activities.
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The men were charged – after a major sting by Queensland Boating and Fisheries Patrol – for offences committed in Moreton Bay between March and October 2015.
The commercial fishers operated out of Cabbage Tree Creek, Shorncliffe at the time. One of the other two men was the proprietor of a Robertson restaurant and the other lived at Joyner.
QBFP North Coast district manager Brett Depper said the two commercial fishers appeared in Caboolture Magistrates Court in April after a long and complex investigation.
“They were charged with 59 offences against the Fisheries Act 1994 and fined a total of $29,190,” Mr Depper said.
“The charges included the unlawful selling of female and undersized blue swimmer crabs, the take of fish their commercial fishing boat licence did not permit, along with failing to comply with the requirements for keeping sale dockets for wholesale transactions.”
Mr Depper said officers found their boat was not fitted with an appropriate by-catch reduction device or a compliant turtle exclusion device, important obligations for commercial trawl fleet.
“The other two men were fined $6500 for committing a variety of offences against the Fisheries Act 1994, including the unlawful sale and possession of regulated blue swimmer crabs and failing to comply with the requirements for keeping sale dockets for wholesale transactions,” Mr Depper said.
Fisheries Minister Mark Furner said the detection of significant offences, and the fines imposed, were a reminder to commercial fishers of their obligations when they take fishery resources.
“Any failure to meet these obligations diminishes community confidence in the commercial access of such vital species,” Mr Furner said.
“There is real potential for black market activities to affect the viability of commercial fishing, negatively impact on legitimate seafood businesses and lead to unsustainable fishing practices.”
Mr Furner said there had been support in a survey for strengthening enforcement powers of fisheries inspectors and penalties to address serious fisheries offences such as black marketing.
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