Another illegal gemfish bust from Browns Mountain
Boat ramp sting finds 27 gemfish hidden under the boat's floorJust about everyone has heard of Browns Mountain, about 40km east-south-east of Sydney Heads, where the game fishing for big marlin and tuna can be great. Drop a bait to the bottom and the blue-eye and gemfish oblige.
Sydney's most popular sea mountain is no secret, as we wrote about in this location guide to Browns Mountain. With modern electronics and fishing regulations and rules, fishing at the Mountain can go on for decades.
But a problem has emerged with shamateur anglers dropping lines with up to 12 hooks and catching commercial loads of bottom fish to sell on the black market. Another boat has been busted with a stash of gemmies secreted under the floor.
As NSW DPI Fisheries wrote on its Facebook page on September 8, 2017, it was another gem of a day at Botany Bay when its Officers inspecting recreational fishing boats at the Foreshore boat ramp at Port Botany found two men in possession of 27 gemfish (the bag limit is two per person).
Some of the fish found had been stowed beneath the cabin seating and in a floor compartment of the Bar Crusher boat. Fisheries officers seized the 23 gemfish which were retained as evidence.
The men were to be charged with various offences and faced a nervous wait for their upcoming court date.
This was not the first time for a gemfish bust at this location, however.
As we reported in August 1, 2016, a disgraceful poacher was busted with 38 gemfish weighing almost 160kg hidden in his plate boat and had that boat, motor, trailer and fishing gear seized at Port Botany.
You can read about this bust in this article about fish poachers forfeit boat with hidden chamber.
If you suspect illegal fishing activity in NSW report it by calling Fishers Watch on 1800 043536.
For deep sea fish species in NSW — blue-eye, bass groper, gemfish, etc — there are strict rules. Each angler can keep only 5 of any species in total, including only 2 gemfish and there is a boat trip limit of 10 gemfish.
More on fishing rules and regulation in NSW.
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