'Way out west' no hiding place from fisheries officers

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'Way out west' no hiding place from fisheries officers

DPI Fisheries Officer, Jason Peters, with an unlawful fish trap seized by fisheries officers from the Darling River.

09 Oct 2012 - NSW Fisheries

Illegal fishers along the Darling River thinking that their isolation would protect them from detection by fisheries officers received a reality check over the NSW October long weekend when 16 fishers were detected allegedly committing 29 offences.

Department of Primary Industries (DPI) Director of Fisheries Compliance, Glenn Tritton, said fisheries officers were out in force throughout NSW over the long weekend which traditionally signals the start to the fishing season, conducting targeted patrols.

“Fisheries officers covered more than 500 kilometres of the Darling River by boat from Wilcannia downstream to Wentworth, to provide information to fishers and deter and detect illegal fishing activity,” Mr Tritton said.

“Inspections were carried out on 91 recreational fishers and five commercial fishers, with an overall compliance rate of 83 per cent.

“A total of 16 offenders were detected committing 29 offences, including a Wilcannia man apprehended with a fish trap containing 51 golden perch.

“The man has been issued with a $500 penalty notice for the unlawful use of a fish trap and a further $500 fine for being in possession of the golden perch in circumstances of aggravation.

“All 51 of the fish were returned to the water alive by fisheries officers.”

Mr Tritton said the lesson for fishers is that it does not matter where you fish, fisheries officers may be just around the next bend.

“Patrols targeting illegal fishing are undertaken right across NSW throughout the year,” he said.

“While most fishers stick to the rules, some still show a blatant disregard for our fishing regulations, and those found doing the wrong thing can be issued with on-the-spot-fines or be prosecuted in the local court.

“We all have a responsibility to follow the rules put in place to ensure the long term sustainability of our fishing resources for current and future generations.”

A summary of the recreational fishing rules are available at www.fisheries.nsw.gov.au and in the 2012 NSW Recreational Saltwater and Freshwater Fishing Guides.

Fishing guides are also available at no cost from DPI offices, fishing licence agents and bait and tackle shops.