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| Illegal Lobsters Prove Costly |
With six weeks remaining until the end of the 2001-02 Western Rock Lobster season, recreational fishers are being reminded that large fines apply if they are caught breaking the law.
In Joondalup Court today a 60-year-old Hillarys man who fled into the ocean at Eglinton beach north of Quinns Rocks to dump his illegal catch, was convicted and fined more than $18,000.
The court heard that on March 2, 2002 Robert John McDONALD was chased by two fisheries officers over the sand dunes on a remote stretch of beach near the Alkimos wreck before fleeing into the sea to try and dump 114 illegal rock lobster tails he had collected while spear fishing.
McDonald ignored the officers' demands to stop and wrestled with one of them while trying to empty the bags back into the ocean.
He was charged with possession of parts of rock lobster, fishing without a recreational rock lobster licence and obstructing a fisheries officer.
In explanation McDonald said he caught the lobsters for Easter as he was having people around. He said he removed the heads to lighten the load while diving and admitted to attempting to dispose of his catch to avoid a heavy fine.
McDonald did not appear to answer the charges but in a letter to the court blamed the offence on alcohol saying he was "not thinking clearly".
He was fined a total of $1700 on the three charges plus an additional mandatory penalty of $17,100 (by number plus $57.70 costs.
At Joondalup Court on the same day, a 25-year-old Scarborough man was also fined heavily for possessing 11 undersize rock lobster and for fishing without a recreational rock lobster licence.
Paul Aaron MONAGHAN admitted to catching 12 lobsters (11 undersize) in waters off the Two Rocks marina on March 29 this year with the intention of cooking them that day.
Monaghan told the court he believed the lobsters were legal size. He said he was originally from Victoria and had measured them as he would for lobsters from Victoria but now realised this was the incorrect way in WA.
The Magistrate urged Monaghan to "learn the law" and fined him a total of $1000 for the two offences with an additional mandatory penalty of $1650 (by number) and $57.70 costs.
The rock lobster season commences on November 15 of each year and ends on June 30 of the following year.
Fisheries Department Recreational Program Manager Andrew Cribb urged all recreational fishers to "Fish for the Future" by complying with the daily bag limit of 8 lobster per licence and the size limit which is 77mm from 15 November to 31 January and 76mm from 1 February to 30 June.
MEDIA CONTACTS:
Todd A’Vard
Supervising Fisheries Officer - Metropolitan
Ph: 9335 6800 (Mob): 0419 953 511
Julie Hope
A/Senior Public Relations Coordinator
Ph: 9482 7250 (Mob): 0418 901 767
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