THREE men have been caught by DPI Fisheries officers with 482 illegally obtained abalone near Bermagui on the Far South Coast.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The recent covert compliance operation was undertaken on what is believed to be a syndicate taking indictable quantities of abalone in the region.
The men will be issued with Court Attendance Notices to appear in court, facing three separate charges:
• trafficking fish – up to 10 years imprisonment
• possess more than the allowed limit in circumstances of aggravation - $88,000 fine and/or 18 months imprisonment
• possessing shucked abalone adjacent to water - $5,500 fine
In NSW abalone thieves face significant penalties including prison sentences.
DPI fisheries officers work with NSW Police, using modern surveillance methods, to target illegal abalone trafficking and apprehend people abusing the NSW abalone resource.
The public can help fisheries officers by reporting suspected abalone theft on the South Coast by calling the Fishers Watch hotline on 1800 043 536 and talking to an operator. If the line is busy or not manned, follow the prompts to report ‘illegal abalone’ fishing.
People can also report on-line by going to www.fisheries.nsw.gov.au