Abalone thieves given heavy fines!
Submitted by Anonymous on Sun, 2008-03-16 14:31
Three people received fines between $1,150
and $1,540 in Joondalup Court this week, after pleading guilty to
illegal fishing during the 2007 West Coast Zone abalone season.
35-year-old
Lei ZHANG of East Perth was found to be in possession of 51 abalone (31
above the limit), when he was questioned by a Fisheries and Marine
Officer on the last day of the season. On Wednesday (12 March 2008) a
magistrate fined him $1,540.
34-year-old Masaaki HORIKOSHI of
Perth had 29 abalone more than the daily bag limit of 20, when his
catch bag was inspected on 2 December last year – which led to a $1,480
fine this week.
Also, on Wednesday, 45-year-old Gary Michael
GAFFNEY of Joondalup was ordered to pay $1,150 for being in possession
of 18 abalone more than the limit on the second Sunday of the 2007
season.
North Metro Compliance Manager Todd A’Vard said, in
order to manage the fishery in a sustainable way, the West Coast Zone
abalone season was only open to recreational fishers for one hour each
Sunday morning between 4 November and 9 December last year, but a small
number of fishers wrongly took more abalone than they should have.
“Those
who break the abalone bag or possession limits are stealing from a
limited community resource and the Department of Fisheries is always
well prepared for the season and ready to prosecute any law-breakers,”
Mr A’Vard said.
This week’s cases follow five other recent court
appearances for offenders prosecuted over fisheries crime during the
2007 abalone season in the metropolitan area.
Last Friday, in a
Perth court, 43-year-old Nowardy HANDY of Cannington was fined $1,580,
for having 24 abalone in excess of the possession limit (of 20) when
her catch bag was inspected by a Fisheries and Marine Officer at North
Beach on Sunday 9 December.
36-year-old Paul John BALLARDIN from
North Beach was last month fined $2,800 in a Perth court for taking 23
abalone too many (including five that were undersize), when his catch
was checked at Mettam’s Pool beach on Sunday 25 November.
On
the opening day of the 2007 abalone season (4 November) 49-year-old Su
Van NGUYEN of Westminster was found with 33 abalone above the bag limit
when he was stopped at Ocean Reef. He was last month fined $1,600 in
Joondalup.
In the same court, 63-year-old Tomislav MARKOVIC of
Duncraig was ordered to pay $1,330 for taking 24 abalone too many, when
questioned at Ocean Reef on 2 December and 48-year-old Tan Cong DANG of
Hocking was fined $1,210 for collecting double the bag limit, when he
had his catch inspected on a Mindarie beach on 11 November 2007.
It's funny how bag limits mean nothing to these people and they're happy to take the risk, a criminal record sticks for life but
Abalone thieves given heavy fines
Date: March 2008
Three people received fines between $1,150
and $1,540 in Joondalup Court this week, after pleading guilty to
illegal fishing during the 2007 West Coast Zone abalone season.
35-year-old
Lei ZHANG of East Perth was found to be in possession of 51 abalone (31
above the limit), when he was questioned by a Fisheries and Marine
Officer on the last day of the season. On Wednesday (12 March 2008) a
magistrate fined him $1,540.
34-year-old Masaaki HORIKOSHI of
Perth had 29 abalone more than the daily bag limit of 20, when his
catch bag was inspected on 2 December last year – which led to a $1,480
fine this week.
Also, on Wednesday, 45-year-old Gary Michael
GAFFNEY of Joondalup was ordered to pay $1,150 for being in possession
of 18 abalone more than the limit on the second Sunday of the 2007
season.
North Metro Compliance Manager Todd A’Vard said, in
order to manage the fishery in a sustainable way, the West Coast Zone
abalone season was only open to recreational fishers for one hour each
Sunday morning between 4 November and 9 December last year, but a small
number of fishers wrongly took more abalone than they should have.
“Those
who break the abalone bag or possession limits are stealing from a
limited community resource and the Department of Fisheries is always
well prepared for the season and ready to prosecute any law-breakers,”
Mr A’Vard said.
This week’s cases follow five other recent court
appearances for offenders prosecuted over fisheries crime during the
2007 abalone season in the metropolitan area.
Last Friday, in a
Perth court, 43-year-old Nowardy HANDY of Cannington was fined $1,580,
for having 24 abalone in excess of the possession limit (of 20) when
her catch bag was inspected by a Fisheries and Marine Officer at North
Beach on Sunday 9 December.
36-year-old Paul John BALLARDIN from
North Beach was last month fined $2,800 in a Perth court for taking 23
abalone too many (including five that were undersize), when his catch
was checked at Mettam’s Pool beach on Sunday 25 November.
On
the opening day of the 2007 abalone season (4 November) 49-year-old Su
Van NGUYEN of Westminster was found with 33 abalone above the bag limit
when he was stopped at Ocean Reef. He was last month fined $1,600 in
Joondalup.
In the same court, 63-year-old Tomislav MARKOVIC of
Duncraig was ordered to pay $1,330 for taking 24 abalone too many, when
questioned at Ocean Reef on 2 December and 48-year-old Tan Cong DANG of
Hocking was fined $1,210 for collecting double the bag limit, when he
had his catch inspected on a Mindarie beach on 11 November 2007.
It's funny how bag limits mean nothing to these people and they're happy to take the risk, a criminal record sticks for life but
Watto069
Posts: 427
Date Joined: 15/01/08
Those fines aren't hefty
Those fines aren't hefty enough IMO. They should lift the fines to deter these people from doing this kind of stuff. There is a fair few cases listed above so I guess people aren't getting the message. Lift the fines so that these people really know that it's a crime to take more than what they should
Watto069
So many fishing spots. Not enough sickies!!!!!!!
milsey
Posts: 1462
Date Joined: 22/08/07
I agree, this is only a slap
I agree, this is only a slap on the wrist, they should be banned from catching them all together, if they still dont get it conviscate there gear or boat ect. Otherwise it will get to a point where all abalone fishing will be banned for every-one or there just wont be any left. jmo tho im sure some people feel different
Italiano
Posts: 244
Date Joined: 29/07/07
I think lift the fines but i
I think lift the fines but i bet all that money doesn't go back into the industrie it goes to other crap and that is wrong it should all go back into the areas where the fines comes from, if it is abolone then the fine pays for more research into abolone, if it is marron then the money should go into marron research, breeding etc.
max199
Posts: 812
Date Joined: 09/05/06
Is
there a season for the mid west coast of W.A.?