A fisher has been fined $7500 in the Maroochydore Magistrates Court after pleading guilty to going well over the Spanish mackerel catch limit on two occasions.
Minister for Agricultural Industry Development and Fisheries and Minister for Rural Communities Mark Furner said Fisheries Queensland was working hard to preserve low Spanish mackerel stocks and this sort of careless over fishing didn’t help.
“The limit for recreational fishers is three per person and this fisher was found on two separate occasions with 14 and 13 excess fish,” Mr Furner said.
“The Queensland Boating and Fisheries Patrol (QBFP) is investing significant resources in detecting such offending, so if there are fishers out there engaged in such activities they will catch you.
“QBFP officers use a range of investigative measures, including checking market distribution points to monitor compliance for important species under a quota, and I thank them for their tireless efforts.”
In handing down the penalty, the Magistrate said the defendant should be more aware of the importance of possession limits.
For information on Queensland’s fishing regulations, visit www.fisheries.qld.gov.au, call 13 25 23 or download the free ‘Qld Fishing’ app from Apple and Google app stores.
