Crooked couple caught selling Golden Perch to a bakery

If you fish for fun, don’t sell your catch. That's the advice to would-be 'shamateurs' and budding black-market fishers from Fisheries Victoria after a pair from Burnside were arrested for selling Golden Perch they caught using a recreational licence.

Fisheries officers believe the Golden Perch or yellowbelly were caught at Lake Eildon. On Wednesday November 15, the man and a woman, aged 66 and 64, allegedly sold their Perch for cash at a residential address.

The next day, it is alleged they sold another 10 Golden Perch at a bakery in Richmond. So that's what they put in the fish pies?

But the brazen couple were nabbed shortly afterwards and taken to Richmond Police Station.

A warrant was issued to seize their car, boat, fishing equipment and any proceeds of crime.

Fisheries Victoria Director of Education and Enforcement, Ian Parks, said the arrest should act as a reminder and a warning to other fishers that fish caught without a commercial licence cannot be sold.

"Inland rivers and lakes are being fished very heavily at the moment for Golden Perch," Mr Parks said.

"While we love seeing Victorians out on the water taking advantage of our superb fishing, we want to remind everyone that selling recreational fish is a serious matter that threatens the sustainability of Victoria's precious fish stocks.

"If you are caught selling recreational fish you stand to lose your fishing equipment, your car, your boat and all the money you’ve earned: it’s just not worth it."

If you have any information in relation to black-market fish sales you are encouraged to contact fisheries on our offence reporting hotline, 13 FISH (13 3474). More at Fisheries Victoria's enforcement page.