Sweetwater Fishing Forums
General Category => News Views & Press Releases => Topic started by: Editor on June 22, 2013, 05:28:33 PM
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Waterfront property owners fined for unauthorised works
20 Jun 2013 - NSW DPI
(http://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/__data/assets/image/0009/469917/illegal-wall-at-Old-Bar.jpg)
Fisheries officer inspects the illegal wall at Old Bar.
Two property owners have been fined after they were found to have carried out unauthorised works on waterways on the State’s Mid North Coast.
Department of Primary Industries (DPI) Director of Fisheries Compliance, Mr Glenn Tritton, said the two day operation involved fisheries and Office of Water staff.
"The operation targeted unauthorised works on waterways within the Taree catchment area," Mr Tritton said.
"A property owner was issued with penalty notices totalling $2,000 under the Fisheries Management Act 1994, after investigations revealed they had allegedly dredged and modified over 100 metres of a creek and removed tonnes of earth using an excavator above Henshaw Crossing at Wherrol Flat."
Mr Tritton said the operation also uncovered a second offence on a property at Old Bar where a property owner had allegedly constructed an illegal structure to stop erosion on his property.
"On inspection an allegedly unauthorised 12 metre wall had been constructed to stop erosion on the waterfront property using 20 kilogram cement bags," he said.
"The property owner was issued a $1,000 penalty notice under the Fisheries Management Act 1994 for alleged unauthorised reclamation.
"Both property owners now also face costly remediation works."
Mr Tritton said that approval is required for most works on or near a waterway in NSW including the construction of retaining walls, pontoons, wharves, jetties, boat ramps, dumping of rocks and other materials, removing riverbank vegetation, and removing or relocating snags.
"Works on a river foreshore property generally require approval to ensure the work will not lead to loss of key fish habit, or cause sedimentation, erosion and other water pollution issues," Mr Tritton said.
"Waterfront property owners should always talk to their local Council before undertaking any works to ensure they have the right approvals in place and their works are in line with current environmental best practice."
Anyone observing works in waterways should contact the Fishers Watch hotline on 1800 043 536.
An advisory brochure titled ‘Living and working on a riverbank’ is available for download. This brochure outlines how private landholders planning on undertaking works on waterfront properties can comply with the Fisheries Management Act 1994.
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Mr Tritton said the operation also uncovered a second offence on a property at Old Bar where a property owner had allegedly constructed an illegal structure to stop erosion on his property.
"Works on a river foreshore property generally require approval to ensure the work will not lead to loss of key fish habit, or cause sedimentation, erosion and other water pollution issues," Mr Tritton said.
Seems a bit harsh to me that he got fined for trying to stop erosion, even though he didn't go through the right channels he was still trying to look after the river (more likely his land, really).