Fish bites: 'Secret' crab boat crushed
Queensland's black jewfish season opens; car, kayak seized from illegal longline fishersBrisbane Magistrates Court has ordered that a boat modified with secret compartments used to hide crabs be crushed as a stern warning to anyone else thinking of getting in on the act.
The 3.7-metre tinnie was destroyed and its owner fined $6000 after he was sprung concealing undersize male, and female mud crabs in the hidey hole.
Queensland Boating and Fisheries Patrol officers, who discovered the illegal stash, said the fisher knew that taking female and undersized crabs was against the law, and had received previous infringement notices.
The boat’s outboard engine and trailer will be sold at auction.
Queensland jewfish season opens
Queensland’s black jewfish season has reopened with strict catch limits applying to both professional and recreational fishers.
This year, there is a 20-tonne total allowable catch mandated for the east coast, and a 6.0-tonne allowable catch for the Gulf of Carpentaria.
Once the catch limits are reached, black jewfish will become a no-take species for both commercial and recreational fishers, with jewfish caught as a by-catch needing to be returned to the water.
Recreationally caught jewfish must have a minimum size of 75cm on the east coast and 60cm in the Gulf, with a possession limit of one per person up to a maximum of two on a boat.
Car, kayak seized from illegal longline fishers
Victorian Fishing Authority officers have seized a car and kayak after finding an illegal longline and mesh net on the Gippsland Lakes.
A report to the VFA 13 FISH hotline on January 2 altered authorities to a couple who were stopped while leaving the Tambo River near Metung.
“Officers conducted a search of the couple’s vehicle which revealed a longline with 83 baited hooks and a 76-metre mesh net,” Lakes Entrance-based fisheries officer Christine Watterson said.
“The illegal equipment was confiscated and the couple’s Toyota Camry was seized, along with a kayak and other recreational fishing gear.
“This type of equipment has the capacity to cause significant damage to the populations of fish and native aquatic wildlife in the Gippsland Lakes.”
Officers from VFA’s Braeside unit in Melbourne’s south-east searched the couple’s home and allegedly found another two large monofilament nets.
The couple is due to appear before the Bairnsdale Magistrates Court later this year facing charges of possessing illegal fishing gear.
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