Two men from the Mandurah area were fined more than $1500 each in Geraldton court late last week for an illegal haul of sea urchins taken from Port Denison last October.
The 61-year-old man from Silver Sands was fined $1,604 for taking 78 sea urchins from an inter-tidal reef near the Port Denison Marina, exceeding the bag limit by 58.
He was accompanied by a 52-year-old man from Falcon, who was ordered to pay $1,504 for exceeding the bag limit by 53.
The daily bag limit for sea urchins in Western Australia is 20 per person per day.
In a separate court matter, two Geraldton men were convicted of netting in the closed waters of the Greenough River and were penalised a combined total of $2424.
The men, who were captured on drone footage, had used a 50-metre haul net in December to catch six sea mullet, one yelloweye mullet and an undersized black bream.
The Greenough River is closed to all net fishing, meaning it is illegal to use a net in that river.
Fisheries officers with the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development intercepted the fishers who had attempted to hide the net in bushland adjacent to the river.
The officers also located one undersize mulloway, which had been caught with a fishing rod the previous night.
The 33-year-old man was fined $1,634 for giving a false name, netting in closed waters, taking a totally protected (undersize) black bream and possession of an undersized mulloway. The 39-year-old man was fined $790 for his offences.
DPIRD Regional Compliance Midwest Director Mick Kelly said fishers should be aware of Western Australia’s fishing rules for various species before fishing.
“Taking more than a bag limit allows, taking undersize fish or using a net illegally could threaten the sustainability of our fisheries,” Mr Kelly said.
” FishWatch is available 24/7 to take calls from anyone who suspects illegal fishing activity on 1800 815 507 or via the online form on Crimestoppers .”
