Fine for Illegal Fishing Inside Rock Lobster Sanctuary
Friday, 25th January 2002

A 51 year old man from Point Turton on Yorke Peninsula has been fined more than $1,900 for fishing inside a rock lobster sanctuary.

Kenneth Leslie Coad was found guilty of operating rock lobster pots in the Gleeson Landing rock lobster sanctuary when he appeared in the Kadina Magistrates Court on Monday 21 January 2002.

He was also found guilty of a separate charge of operating rock lobster pots for another person and other minor offences. The offences occurred in April last year.

The sanctuary is 20 kilometres south west of Corny Point on lower Yorke Peninsula.

Chief Magistrate Moss, in handing down the penalty, said fishing inside the rock lobster sanctuary was a serious offence and that the fisheries resource needed to be protected.

Acting Manager, Operations, Kym Wakefield said the rock lobster is a highly valued commercial and recreational species in South Australia.

"Closed areas like this one are an important part of the management strategy for this fishery," he said.

"They provide important refuge areas where rock lobsters live for many years.

In these areas, rock lobster can grow to their full potential and are able to reproduce without threat of capture.

"Illegal fishing in these areas has the potential to impact on the future health of the resource and the penalty reflects this."