A local news agency reported that two men were caught red handed in Bermagui recreational fishing haven catching fish illegally. The officials have seized the fish caught and slap huge fine on them. Both the fishermen are facing individual fines totalling up to $140,000 for allegedly using illegal fishing gear in the waters of the Bermagui River Recreational Fishing Haven.
New South Wales Department of Primary Industries (DPI) Compliance Manager, Glenn Tritton, informed that the men, aged 52 and 25 from Bermagui were apprehended by NSW DPI Fisheries Officers as a part of an extended patrol with the Fisheries Patrol Vessel “Sydney Swan”. He also told that DPI Fisheries Officers apprehended the men who were allegedly using a fish trap for the purposes of collecting bait for a commercial fishing business.
It is told that the fishing trap was found to contain a total of 62 Silver Trevally of which 42 were of prohibited size, and 3 Luderick, all of a prohibited size. Tritton also said that the trap was allegedly set in the waters of the Bermagui River, which is a Recreational Fishing Haven. That means all bays, tributaries, creeks, canals and artificial lakes within that area are closed to commercial fishing.
The main aim of these areas is to improve opportunities for recreational fishing in key areas of significance to recreational fishers. It is opined that the men will be prosecuted for a number of offences, including possess prohibited size fish, take fish in breach of declaration and unlawful use of trap. This is true that illegal fishing threatens the sustainability of fish stocks and our DPI Fisheries Officers will continue to target high risk offenders and initiate prosecution actions where offences are detected.
