Following notification from a concerned member of the general public, the Queensland Boating and Fisheries Patrol caught a fisher south of Townsville with an illegal catch and equipment. Minister for Agricultural Industry Development and Fisheries and Minister for Rural Communities, The Honourable Mark Furner said, “This is a great example of QBFP using the latest technology to build a case against repeated offending”, as the QBFP had been actively watching the fisher’s activities, including the use of drones.
The fisher pleaded guilty to possessing:
- 2 fishing nets
- unmarked crab pot
- 17 undersize mud crab
- 3 barramundi less than 58cm
- 1 giant queen fish less than 50cm
- 3 mud crab claws without the carapace
- 5 female mud crab claws without the carapace
- 8 mud crabs in excess of the limit.
If you witness any suspicious fishing activities, you can make report via the toll-free 24-hour Fishwatch 1800 017 116 Hotline.
To read the full Ministerial Media Statement regarding this matter go to: https://statements.qld.gov.au/statements/94926
Photo courtesy of the Queensland State Government.