Recreational fishers fined for breaches
Submitted by bod on Thu, 2011-09-15 13:25
Roland Thomas FLETCHER and Keith Edward FLETCHER, both aged 67, of Halls Head were found guilty of excess bag limit offences, when they appeared in the Mandurah Magistrates Court this week (Tuesday 13 September 2011).
When the twins where apprehended by Fisheries and Marine Officers in December 2010 at Horseshoe Reef in Comet Bay, they were anchored and fishing with rods from their vessel.
In a search of the vessel, the officers found a total of 52 rock lobsters on board, two of which were measured as undersized and returned to the water.
The court was told the daily bag limit for Western rock lobster was six per licence-holder and the boat limit was 12, when two or more licensed fishers were onboard.
South Metro Region Compliance Manager John Breeden said the court imposed fine of $1,500, plus the mandatory penalty of $6,000, for the rock lobster involved in the offences, would serve as a strong reminder that breaching WA fishing rules was just not worth it.
“Bag and boat limits are set to ensure sustainability of the State’s fisheries,” he said.
At the same location on 2 February this year, around mid-evening, two further people were apprehended by Fisheries and Marine Officers for bag limit breaches. In Mandurah Magistrates Court, 52-year-old Delia Manolong STRAHAN and 61-year-old Angelina BRLJEVICH – both of Collie – were also fined for having 19 and 11 excess crabs respectively. Strahan was ordered to pay more than $1,680 for her fine, mandatory penalty and court costs. Brljevich received fine, penalty and costs totalling more than $1060.
The South Metro Region Compliance Manager said all crab fishers should be reminded that crab fishing was currently in a closed season for both the Peel Harvey Estuary and Cockburn Sound.
“The Peel Harvey crabbing season reopens on 1 November and Cockburn Sound reopens 15 December,” Mr Breeden said.
Lobster fishers to pay $7,500 each for bag limit breach
Two men have been ordered to pay fines and penalties of $7,500 each, for jointly having 40 rock lobsters more than the recreational fishing rules allow.
Roland Thomas FLETCHER and Keith Edward FLETCHER, both aged 67, of Halls Head were found guilty of excess bag limit offences, when they appeared in the Mandurah Magistrates Court this week (Tuesday 13 September 2011).
When the twins where apprehended by Fisheries and Marine Officers in December 2010 at Horseshoe Reef in Comet Bay, they were anchored and fishing with rods from their vessel.
In a search of the vessel, the officers found a total of 52 rock lobsters on board, two of which were measured as undersized and returned to the water.
The court was told the daily bag limit for Western rock lobster was six per licence-holder and the boat limit was 12, when two or more licensed fishers were onboard.
South Metro Region Compliance Manager John Breeden said the court imposed fine of $1,500, plus the mandatory penalty of $6,000, for the rock lobster involved in the offences, would serve as a strong reminder that breaching WA fishing rules was just not worth it.
“Bag and boat limits are set to ensure sustainability of the State’s fisheries,” he said.
***
Undersized crabs
In other cases before Mandurah’s Magistrates Court this week, 35 year old Dingping WEN of Gosnells entered an endorsed plea of guilty and was ordered to pay more than $1,840 for possession of 18 Blue Swimmer crabs with a carapace size less than 127mm (legal minimum size). He was apprehended at 8.35pm two days after Christmas Day in 2010 towing a foam tub and carrying a scoop net, as he walked near the shoreline of the Harvey Estuary at Island Point.
In other cases before Mandurah’s Magistrates Court this week, 35 year old Dingping WEN of Gosnells entered an endorsed plea of guilty and was ordered to pay more than $1,840 for possession of 18 Blue Swimmer crabs with a carapace size less than 127mm (legal minimum size). He was apprehended at 8.35pm two days after Christmas Day in 2010 towing a foam tub and carrying a scoop net, as he walked near the shoreline of the Harvey Estuary at Island Point.
***
Crab limit breach
At the same location on 2 February this year, around mid-evening, two further people were apprehended by Fisheries and Marine Officers for bag limit breaches. In Mandurah Magistrates Court, 52-year-old Delia Manolong STRAHAN and 61-year-old Angelina BRLJEVICH – both of Collie – were also fined for having 19 and 11 excess crabs respectively. Strahan was ordered to pay more than $1,680 for her fine, mandatory penalty and court costs. Brljevich received fine, penalty and costs totalling more than $1060.
The South Metro Region Compliance Manager said all crab fishers should be reminded that crab fishing was currently in a closed season for both the Peel Harvey Estuary and Cockburn Sound.
“The Peel Harvey crabbing season reopens on 1 November and Cockburn Sound reopens 15 December,” Mr Breeden said.
http://www.fish.wa.gov.au/docs/media/index.php?0000&mr=825 14 September 2011
- 4217 reads
Oracle
Posts: 355
Date Joined: 22/11/10
There you go....
For people that don't think fisheries is out there doing what they do, looks pretty on to me!
What's a bit disappointing is that everyone "busted" are all well old enough to know better. Very ordinary.
hlokk
Posts: 4294
Date Joined: 04/04/08
I'm sure they all knew what
I'm sure they all knew what was allowed. What they also thought they knew, was that they thought they could get away with it?
hlokk
Posts: 4294
Date Joined: 04/04/08
With the second one, it says
With the second one, it says he was apprehended towing a foam tub with crabs. Did he actually take them away before they charged him, or did they do it while he was wading?
Surely if you're crab scooping (or craydiving) you can keep undersized ones in your bag until you can measure them then release them unharmed?
Lucky Tim
Posts: 2536
Date Joined: 28/11/07
if you can't measure them as
if you can't measure them as you go then you probably shouldn't be doing it I think. Not too hard to tell a undersized crab or cray from a keeper.
I'm not sure what "take" is defined in the Fisheries Act but if they are in your control I wouldn't expect a "normal" person to believe you haven't "taken" them.
hlokk
Posts: 4294
Date Joined: 04/04/08
If they dont look size, I
If they dont look size, I dont bother trying to take them. However, I was wondering what the laws are in regards to this. As far as I understand with crays, you have to return them to the water as soon as immediately practical, but you dont get out of the water til the end of the dive.
Lucky Tim
Posts: 2536
Date Joined: 28/11/07
I think the return as soon as
I think the return as soon as practical if more aimed at the potters who can't help but have u/s crays in their possession for some period of time.
soupster51
Posts: 2724
Date Joined: 29/11/06
Good to see
Good stuff.
The best reason for doing what's right today is tomorrow.
Jamos Damokos
Posts: 239
Date Joined: 11/08/11
If i had 15 undersize tailor
If i had 15 undersize tailor in a live well that i wasnt planning on using for live baits would you assume i was only holding them to be released later unharmed? How hard is it to carry a gauge with you and measure as you go?
Twiddling my thumbs with velvet gloves on.
hlokk
Posts: 4294
Date Joined: 04/04/08
Not sure you could use them
Not sure you could use them as live baits anyways...
However, I suspect you are not catching these tailor by hand underwater with a torch in one hand? I havent met many people that will measure every single wiggling flapping cray underwater too (although obviously if they look undersize they get released instead of bagged).
Lucky Tim
Posts: 2536
Date Joined: 28/11/07
I measure all of mine as soon
I measure all of mine as soon as they are in my hand and check for setose/eggs too, I just presumed that's how everone did it? That way it can be released straight back where it came from.
smash
Posts: 434
Date Joined: 01/12/10
I check for eggs/setose
I check for eggs/setose underwater but dont even take my gauge down.
Too much hassle and tangling, plus gauging underwater you are much more likely to knock off legs and feelers and even worse lose them :-)
While they are vulnerable of course if you drop them in the middle of a huge patch of sand etc, if it was that hazardous for them to be released in a different spot all the Fisheries tagged ones and all other undersize/setose etc released in 50+ meters would be dead.
If potting, crays must be gauged and released BEFORE pulling the next pot.
Crays removed from the water MUST be tail clipped within 5 minutes, so you could assume they must be gauged and checked within that timeframe.
southcity104
Posts: 1659
Date Joined: 27/01/09
I see your point matt
But the crays are in your bag under water/ under the water line.
"Its a life style job"
meglodon
Posts: 5981
Date Joined: 17/06/10
great example set for younger generation...NOT
It is sad to see people who would and should know better doing this sort of crap. We (the older generation) baby boomers are supposed to show the younger generation by example how to maintain stocks of fish etc so that future generations can enjoy the fishing experiences we have enjoyed and maintain the stocks for our grand kids.
These offences can not be put down to making a mistake at measuring by silly old duffers, these rat bags were out to catch not just a feed but a lot of crabs to feed themselves and no doubt some of their "mates".
If you do the crime pay the fine.
Jamos Damokos
Posts: 239
Date Joined: 11/08/11
Not having time to measure
Not having time to measure them is an excuse for being in possession of 18 undersize crabs? Whether they are alive or dead the limit is 10 per person so why would you have 18?
Twiddling my thumbs with velvet gloves on.
ben89
Posts: 100
Date Joined: 10/05/11
the worst part is these are
the worst part is these are just the people who were caught, how many people dont get caught, fisheries need an on call responce team, yes if you see people doin the wrong thing you can call and make a report but lets face it you dont know who they are and you cant prove it so once they process your report on monday morning its too late need a team that can be called and come down to investigate before its too late too do anything about it, has been positive latly have seen a couple fisheries officers out on patrol in popular spots, perminant fisheries officers assigned to boat ramps to check each boats catch could be a good deterant too
H.S. Chan
Posts: 587
Date Joined: 04/01/09
I do this with abalone when I
I do this with abalone when I used to catch them few yrs ago. Was always too dangerous on the reefs to try measure them. Me and most others bag more than enough while rangers and fisheries are there at times, get to shore, measure and keep the sized. The excess and undersized ones were walked out and placed back on the reef.
I guess with abalone its dangerous so situation is different.
I do also scoop crabs towing a tub but most times I measure as I go. I have occasionally measured when I hit shore but only when I forget my gauge and its a pretty long walk sometimes to get back. But as long as you keep water in there and ensure they're alive I dont see much harm with crabs. The obvious small ones always go straight back.
I reckon I can understand those that may find it hard to do as you go when cray diving but as long as they have the right intention to measure and put them back asap, i dont see the major problem. I guess there's alot worse out there that are DEFINATELY and obviously doin the dodgey round the place. I've actually watched divers at night emptying other peoples pots too.
The hard thing is with these situations are trying to determine those that legitimately measure when they feel safe and or find they are able to do it easier and those that use it for an excuse when they're caught. Hard to say and hard to judge, well unless they are damn waaay undersize and I'm sure you won't need a genius to figure out what they're up to.
grantarctic1
Posts: 2546
Date Joined: 03/03/11
That can be a problem too
That can be a problem too Chan, If you take Abs of the reef they are doomed, 90% of the time. Abs cant coagulate there blood, so if you nick them with a knife or screwdriver the will bleed to death if reliesed.
Not having a go at you mate but i see this happen alot during the short season and most reliesed Abs end up washed up on the beach.
If you check the rules you will see , you are required to measure them before they are removed from the reef.
Cheers Grant..
H.S. Chan
Posts: 587
Date Joined: 04/01/09
Noted, but I'm not going to
Noted, but I'm not going to measure an abalone before removing from the rock or reef. The greens arent so bad as you have to dive for them anyway. But alot of them, you don't even have room to measure it with a gauge on the rock/reef. I've seen fisheries closely watching the areas when it's season most of the time they're on the beach with us while we size them. Never have any said to do any other way regardless of what the rules are supposed to be. First time I tried it I didn't really know much about it as I was pretty young but over time, just did what everyone else does and theres usually hundreds of people doing the same thing with fisheries and rangers present.
I'm guessing if it was practical and or more important they would advise or guide people into the proper procedure. I figure they know what they're doing better than we do, if we're doing it wrong they've woulda said something at least once over the last 15 odd years I've done it.
I don't know, could be because it's already so dangerous and prone to injuries as it is.
till
Posts: 9358
Date Joined: 21/02/08
WTF? If you can SEE the
WTF?
If you can SEE the abalone to put a pry on it, you can SEE if it fits the gauge.
As usual, lazy and careless people are chock full of excuses.
milsey
Posts: 1462
Date Joined: 22/08/07
Have to agree, if you feel
Have to agree, if you feel it is dangerous you shouldn't be out there, every year there are hundreds of people risking their lives and skin for a few AB's. It should be done properly or not done at all.
grantarctic1
Posts: 2546
Date Joined: 03/03/11
I suppose
I suppose that's what this thread is all about, people who know the rules but do whatever they want anyway.
Last Abalone season i saw people fined each day for taking undersise Ab's with the same excuse. ( was going to measure them later )
Fisheries were not impressed to catch the same offenders 2 or 3 times for the same offence.
H.S. Chan
Posts: 587
Date Joined: 04/01/09
I very well understand where
I very well understand where you're coming from. I have personally seen those excuses when they are checked and caught. But literally, i catch a some, go to shore, measure put them back straight away. i dont piss fart around. Usually I do go back between the shore and reef alot to measure properly and get them back in straight away. I always mark the screwdriver or whatever which a marker to get a closer measurement but even 1/2cm is off as its not a flat surface and angle does matter. Then I still go to shore and double check, sometimes with my bag limit at one shot (only when its very very very cold and I just want to go home lol).
H.S. Chan
Posts: 587
Date Joined: 04/01/09
Good to see I'm getting some
Good to see I'm getting some bites from this LOL!
Anyways, thats the thing, you can't really see em properly at all. usually its done by feel. I'm guessing neither of you haven't walked around reefing for them?
If it was easily enough seen and easy to gauge, i dont see the problem. but usually its in nooks and crevaces in less than knee high water while you're standing on a reef with water breaking and washing over it. Most of the time leaving it near impossible to measure ever before removing them. But also as I said, if you're diving for them or chasing greenlips which are alot bigger and wherever they fit, you can easily measure, thats a different story.
Don't worry guys, next time I'll leave them on the beach since they get washed up there anyways right? lol
Yea I know I might be taking the piss a bit, but still, say I do measure them before I remove, but my measurement was a bit off and I had to release them, doing the right thing then what, still cop bs because I might of hurt them during removal? I garentee you that alot that do it does not differ much from the way I do it. Yeah there most likely will be some that will simply say they don't and they catch them all the time, but again that's heresay behind the monitor. I'm just getting these comments because I don't care about throwing it out there. I try to do what's right where I can and yeah, at times it's difficult but I still try to adhere to the rules where it's possible. When in this case, i still don't take over my bag nor undersized, and i still walk them out a lil deeper on the reef instead of like those that just dump them near the shore. I suppose there will always be someone with something to say. Why don't you make a complaint to fisheries and rangers that stand next to me alot of the times that the community actually fund? Simple, because I'm right here.
Abalone season coming up, anyone keen to take me with them to show me on the reef you finding and measuring them on the spot? I would absolutely love it please. Sorry if it sounds like I'm stirring a bit, but there's alot out there that I would personally think people would rather complain about, but still here we are.
Can't say much more then I do as much as I can but it's hard still at times, but honestly, i don't really care, im not here on fw to please people. The rules and regs that are obviously critically important then of course, i still abide by them.
@Milsey, yea i know the abalone gets hundreds of people going to some extremes to get them. It's only because, I'm not sure about everyone else, but to asians its a high delicacy. Problem with that though, you rarely come across places where you can purchase them quite readily. When these are caught, the very little limit there is, they are freezed and alot of times kept for years and years for special occasions and such. A little like authentic shark fin in a way. I barely have ever eaten them but I do it for family. And no, I dont taste anything special in them, i dont even enjoy them that much, i prefer a fat steak anyday.
Anyways, dunno what else I can say, can't make everyone happy can ya.
MattMiller
Posts: 4171
Date Joined: 15/06/09
You could always
stop stuffing around in Perth with 10 million other fools 6hrs a year for 'just' size Abs and head down south and free dive for Abs so big that you can only get 10 in your bag
grantarctic1
Posts: 2546
Date Joined: 03/03/11
None down that way
Come on Matt, now your just taking the piss, every one knows there are no Abalone down south. LOL
MattMiller
Posts: 4171
Date Joined: 15/06/09
Just between
you and me Grant, there are 0 Abalone down south. SSSSSHHHHHHHHHH
sea-kem
Posts: 15041
Date Joined: 30/11/09
And the Noahs arks keep an
And the Noahs arks keep an eye on the ones that are there lol
Love the West!
H.S. Chan
Posts: 587
Date Joined: 04/01/09
i gotta admit, it really does
i gotta admit, it really does get so crowded that its not really enjoyable anymore. Should walk around during season speeling what you just said to everyone Matt. Might help our ab numbers locally lol
till
Posts: 9358
Date Joined: 21/02/08
Some ace back tracking there.
Some ace back tracking there.
H.S. Chan
Posts: 587
Date Joined: 04/01/09
That's what it's for, Ace.
That's what it's for, Ace.
MattMiller
Posts: 4171
Date Joined: 15/06/09
Locally???
I think you mean metro buddy.
H.S. Chan
Posts: 587
Date Joined: 04/01/09
Yeah that lol
Yeah that lol
Ryan C
Posts: 1575
Date Joined: 08/07/10
and its no wonder
the regulations are as tight as they are , with your methods H.S champion, in another couple of years the ab season in W.A will last for 5 minutes and only at midnight and on a full moon with light drizzle . next time i go offshore i might take 3 or 4 dhufish and take them to shore for measuring (cos its never accurate on a moving boat as we all know ) lol!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! i will release what i dont want later though!!!!
till
Posts: 9358
Date Joined: 21/02/08
And then start a silly thread
And then start a silly thread to try and make your facepalm moment sink out of sight!
H.S. Chan
Posts: 587
Date Joined: 04/01/09
You can go about saying
You can go about saying whatever with your mates and Hi5'ing each other after because you're cool like that, but i get them in the back in the water in minutes as soon as I can. It's not like you can ensure everything you release lives either after you see it swim away. Or if you pull a fish from its water column it dwells in, you release in a different part of drift and at the top to have it get chopped by something else as it wouldnt of if you'd have left it where it was. The amount of fishers that I've spoken to and or seen that have used release weights is rediculous. So many out there have it on board but don't even use it. But I won't mention names. I've even heard of many people telling me they can never be bothered with it. As someone that used to sell them, I've heard loads and many from fw also.
What about those suffering from barotrauma and still thrown back because you have your bag but still catch and TRIED to release anyway? I'm sure that alone does more damage to fish stock, but hey, I'm not arguing that. What about catch and release sessions ONLY? Whether being during or not during the ban. Well, its floating, but got trauma, oh well, cant take it anyway, but at least we've had some fun. Again, I'm still not arguing this. Just stating that you still damage something just being on the water in the first place.
Yea, big claps all round mate.
Theres arguable speculation from every angle you can look at things.
MattMiller
Posts: 4171
Date Joined: 15/06/09
Really should give up
H.S. Your digging yourself a bigger and bigger hole and can't find your way out
Ryan C
Posts: 1575
Date Joined: 08/07/10
awesome Jamie
i wish i had your technical skills on the computer Jamie to pluck "appropriate" images out of thin air to express my feelings! nice one mate good laugh!! cheers
'
alfred
Posts: 3097
Date Joined: 12/01/07
H. S. Chan - you are kidding
H. S. Chan - you are kidding right? Just trolling to get a rise aren't you?
H.S. Chan
Posts: 587
Date Joined: 04/01/09
;D
;D
till
Posts: 9358
Date Joined: 21/02/08
Haha as if! You changed
Haha as if!
You changed your POV so many times, you probably wouldn;t even know if you were trolling anymore.
Another nice try on an out.
H.S. Chan
Posts: 587
Date Joined: 04/01/09
Yea I stuffed up a few times,
Yea I stuffed up a few times, but don't be angry because you didn't catch on lol, it's only a forum.
Dicey
Posts: 912
Date Joined: 23/07/10
Shouldnt need to take abalone
Shouldnt need to take abalone off the rocks to know if its size or not, i must admit when i first started i was guilty of that but it didnt take long to be able to feel the good size ones from the undersize ones since i was usually catching them edge of the reef or in the reef holes. When you pry them off the rocks especially when disturb and they suck down hard, their shells crack easily if you dont get them in the proper angle and pretty much die(also attracts sharks and stingrays to your vincinity).
H.S. Chan
Posts: 587
Date Joined: 04/01/09
Sorry guys, I've been taking
Sorry guys, I've been taking the piss outa this for a lil bit too long lol. Figured it's probably getting noticed since Alfred's comment. Just wanted to see response as I know abalone is highly protected. Just a bit of light shorebased fun and laughs with a few brews and over facebook with some fw friends.
I've only caught abalone like 4 times and I was about 13, mainly holding a bag for family to do it. Was freaked out by seeing others get washed and stacking it everywhere, I even wore skating knee pads and baseball gloves ahaha. Never been since, can't be bothered, too much trouble for something I don't care to eat. I know what some people are like in here and I knew it was gonna get some bites and I was a lil bored with some time on my hands. Though I thought it woulda got realised sooner but it didn't, so I just kept goin with it. I gave a few hints.
Anyways, didn't mean to offend or piss anyone off. Though some I tried to annoy didn't bite at all lol. Some of it was suggestive posts from someone else via facebook as replies but I won't mention who.
Ok, sorry to bod as it's his thread, people of Fw, admin and guests who may be reading. Hope some others out there actually enjoyed the bit of entertainment and didn't take into this too seriously.
PEACE!
MattMiller
Posts: 4171
Date Joined: 15/06/09
Hmm...
Trolling - EPIC FAIL
Ryan C
Posts: 1575
Date Joined: 08/07/10
hmmmmm!
hmmmmm! nice one !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
badxr8ute
Posts: 65
Date Joined: 03/09/08
I can't belive I actually
I can't belive I actually wasted 2 mintues of my life and read all that crap!!!!
Adam Gallash
Posts: 15654
Date Joined: 29/11/05
fool
Last chance Chan, I've let a lot of stuff go but this is just pathetic. Locked.
Site Admin - Just ask if you need assistance