SENTENCES handed down to South Coast abalone offenders in recent weeks serve as a timely reminder to those thinking of illegally diving for abalone during Operation Maxima, the Department of Primary Industries (DPI) current compliance blitz on abalone fisheries crime.

Narooma-based Fisheries officers were out on the water on the weekend patrolling the coastline between Mimosa Rocks and Narooma.

Officers also boarded a number of vessels on the Cuttagee kingfish grounds south of Bermagui on Saturday, taking details of a number of recreational and commercial fishermen who were found in possession of kingfish under the 65cm limit, an offence that now carries a $500 fine.

Targeted operations by the DPI’s State-wide Operations and Investigations Group meanwhile led to unlicensed abalone fisher and a licensed commercial abalone diver being sentenced in Batemans Bay Local Court.

DPI Fisheries Compliance director Glenn Tritton said a repeat unlicensed abalone offender was sentenced to 12 months imprisonment and received fines and court costs totalling $16,900.

“The man pleaded guilty to trafficking in abalone, possessing shucked abalone and obstructing a fisheries officer,” Mr Tritton said.

“When approached by fisheries officers he attempted to escape and was apprehended in possession of 75 shucked abalone.

“A commercial diver pleaded guilty to six abalone offences, including possessing 27 prohibited size abalone and failing to complete abalone logbooks.

“He received fines and court costs totalling more than $18,000.

“These cases should be ringing alarm bells in the minds of anybody considering illegally diving for abalone, especially during Operation Maxima.

“Abalone theft is not worth the risk of receiving large fines and imprisonment.”

DPI South Coast Supervising Fisheries Officer, Mathew Richardson, said that throughout the three months of Operation Maxima teams of fisheries officers and Police will be scouring the coast looking for illegal abalone diving activity.

“We are targeting the entire south coast, and with the assistance of NSW Food Authority officers, we will also be increasing inspections in the greater Sydney area where black market abalone is sold and consumed,” Mr Richardson said.

“Abalone theft of any level has an impact on the long term sustainability of the abalone fishery, and collectively this can be significant.

“If people don’t heed our fair warnings we will continue to target illegal fishing and bring offenders before the courts. Operation Maxima is designed to do just that.”

More information on NSW fishing rules and regulations can be found at www.fisheries.nsw.gov.au

A short video clip showing abalone fishing rules has been posted on the Fisheries NSW YouTube Channel.

Do you have an opinion or view on this article, want to get it off your chest? Then scroll down and make a comment, it’s easy and we will post it as is within reason and decency and you don’t even need to use your real name! Ps: it might take a while for us to get to it and approve it, but rest assured your comments are valued and they will go up asap!