Boat, equipment seized after “two in a row”
Thursday, 24th March 2005

A Port MacDonnell man has pleaded guilty to various fisheries offences in the Mount Gambier Magistrates Court recently.

A man from Port Broughton has had his boat, rock lobster pots and a number of rock lobster seized following two separate fisheries related incidents this week.

Fisheries Officers first stopped the man at Red Rock Bay, near Carpenter Rock in the State’s south-east on the 18 March as the result of information provided via the Fishwatch telephone number.

An inspection of his catch revealed 8 rock lobster (four over the daily bag limit of four), none of which had their middle tail fan cut as is required for all recreationally caught rock lobster. As a result the man received an on the spot fine of $620. The lobster were confiscated.

The next day, Fisheries Officers again inspected the man’s catch as part of a routine patrol at the same location. The search revealed 4 rock lobster all with their tail fans cut. A search of his boat uncovered another three rock lobster without their tail fan clipped, allegedly hidden in the front of the vessel.

As a result, officers seized the man’s boat, rock lobster pots and his catch. The man is expected to appear before the Court at a later date. A second man from Adelaide, involved in the fishing activity, will also face charges.