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| Brothers Fined For Illegal Sale Of Rock Lobsters |
Two Ballajura brothers were fined for the illegal sale of western rock lobsters when they appeared in a Perth Magistrate’s Court today.
Colin James Grundy, 57, and Brian John Grundy, 53, were each fined a total of $7000 plus costs after pleading guilty to a charge of selling 44 rock lobsters without a commercial fishing licence between December 2001 and May 2002.
The men, who live together, were found to have made the illegal sales after the Department of Fisheries investigated a Westminster restaurant’s involvement in the purchase of illegally caught rock lobsters.
John Breeden, a Supervising Fisheries Officer, said today that while the Fisheries Department views these offences as being of a very serious nature, this was not a significant commercial operation, making the penalty a satisfactory outcome given the limited means of the men.
"We are happy with the result," Mr Breeden said.
"We don’t have any reason to disbelieve that these men were legitimate recreational fishermen - our issue was the illegal sale of rock lobsters without a commercial licence."
The rock lobsters caught by the Grundy brothers were of legal size and tails were clipped so as to be identified as recreational fishing catch.
Although the Grundys operated within recreational fishing regulations, the illegal sale of recreationally caught lobsters in WA is of growing concern to the Department of Fisheries, and the Department has run a series of operations designed to specifically target the practice.
The Department is currently investigating other cases involving the sale of recreationally caught rock lobsters, as well as the involvement of the Westminster restaurant with the Grundy case. Further charges are likely to be laid.
Source: Fisheries Dept
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