$7000 fine should be more of it.

[rayke1938]

From DPI website.

Nice that they split the first one into 2 offences and with the second case they hit both partners indidually thus doubling the impact of the fines.

Good on them.

Cheers

Ray

Fishing haul attracts $7000 fineNews release | 25 January, 2011

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A recreational fisher, who hid a total of 656 whiting fillets and 43 portions of flathead in two locations, has been fined $7000 by the Ayr Magistrates Court for two separate fisheries offences this month.

The fisher concealed some whiting and flathead fillets in his caravan and stashed the remaining fillets in a freezer at a separate location.

In a separate incident, a married couple have been fined $1500 each for hiding 253 whiting fillets in their caravan freezer.

Queensland Boating and Fisheries Patrol (QBFP) District Officer Robert Ibell said these cases highlighted the need for fishers to know the rules, particularly the rules about take and possession or bag limits.

"In June last year we received a complaint from a member of the public about a fisher which led us to execute a search warrant at a local caravan park," Mr Ibell said.

"We found the fisher had a total of 31kg of whiting and flathead fillets.

"The fisher was fined for possession of 298 whiting over the bag limit of 30, and possession of flathead that were divided into 43 portions in a way that they could not be easily identified by an inspector to count the number of fish.

"The married couple had been travelling near Proserpine with their caravan when they were stopped and their vehicles searched following a complaint made by a member of the public."

Mr Ibell said both defendants were both fined for possession of 67 whiting over the bag limit of 30.

"A bag limit (take and possession limit) is the total number of fish that one person can legally take and keep at any one time.

"It is important for fishers to remember that this limit applies to fish that are also in their possession in their home, on their boat or in their esky."

Mr Ibell said these cases were a timely reminder to all fishers about the importance of knowing the rules.

"Our fish stocks are an important resource and rules are in place to protect our fisheries for future generations to enjoy.

"Species such as whiting and flathead are extremely valuable to the recreational and tourism industry in the Burdekin area and rules are in place to protect the sustainability of this stock."

QBFP is the enforcement arm of Fisheries Queensland - part of the Department of Employment, Economic Development and Innovation.

For up-to-date fishing rules and regulations for Queensland contact Fisheries Queensland on 13 25 23 or download a copy at http://www.dpi.qld.gov.au/.

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[crazywalrus]

awesome stuff

[Young_fella]

656 whiting fillets?!?!? They must be hungry people....

[rayke1938]

They come up from down south winter in Hervey bay then head to barra dams in october and then go back to Victoria with freezers full.

Cheers

Ray

[eg_vtec]

thats alot of whiting. shame on them

[straddiebrad]

need to see more of this,there is no need to have any over the bag limit.brad

[dassa]

I say can't help bad luck I would love to see more of this and let it be a warning to other's that fish new area's or state's find out what the reg's are so there are no excuses.

[BassTracker]

I like whitting as much as the next bloke but come on!