NEWS

Heavy fines for illegal netting at Carrum Beach  

3 March 2010

Two men and two women from Noble Park have now been fined a total of $20,000 in the Frankston Magistrates’ Court for possessing illegal (commercial) fishing equipment and fish taken in contravention of the Fisheries Act.

Hien Nguyen, 46, Van Linh Phan, 52, Cau Thi Huynh, 49, and Thi Hoa Dang, 41, were intercepted by Fisheries Officers and Police on the Mornington Peninsula Freeway in June last year after a call to the 13 FISH reporting line.

Mr Nguyen, the last of the four to go before Magistrate Rodney Crisp, pleaded guilty earlier this month. The other three faced court in December and were convicted and fined $3,000 each and ordered to pay compensation of $1,260 each for the value of the fish.

The court heard the four used two monfilament mesh nets with a total length of 200 metres at Carrum beach to catch 62 Australian salmon, one silver trevally and a number of sand crabs. With two prior fishing convictions, Mr Nguyen was fined $5,000 and ordered to pay compensation of $1,260 for the value of the fish with costs of $300. He was also prohibited from fishing for five years.

Magistrate Crisp told Mr Nguyen this kind of behaviour was anti social and there was a need to protect legitimate commercial fishing. He said there had been an increase in these types of offences, which were difficult to detect particularly at night, and offenders were going to greater lengths to avoid detection.

Department of Primary Industries Senior Fisheries Officer Rod Barber said this result should be a strong a deterrent to other, would-be illegal netters. “Monofilament nets such as these are extremely efficient and indiscriminate in the capture of fish which is why they are prohibited for use or possession in Victoria,” Mr Barber said.

Fisheries Victoria officers rely heavily on the public to report suspicious activity. Anyone who sees or suspects illegal fishing activity should call the 24-hour reporting line 13 FISH (13 3474).

Photograph: Fisheries Officer Ben Amey holding monofillament mesh nets which are prohibited in Victoria.

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