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Big bust on NSW QLD border

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Camping trip cost group of mates more than $10,000 in fines for illegal fishing practices
/>http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/camping-trip-cost-group-of-mates-more-than-10000-in-fines-for-illegal-fishing-practices/story-e6freon6-1226401132092

• by: Brian Williams

• From:The Courier-Mail

• June 19, 20121:33PM

A BOYS weekend turned bad last month for 40 blokes who went camping and fishing at Boggabilla near Goondiwindi on the NSW-Queensland border.

Sixteen of the fishermen have been fined more than $10,000 for illegal fishing.

They were from a group of 40 who had set up camp on the Dumaresq River which flows through southwest Queensland and northwest NSW.

Queensland Boating and Fisheries Patrol district officer Coby Walker said although the men, mostly mates from Goondiwindi, had set up camp in NSW, they were committing offences both sides of the border.

The men were catching cod and yellowbelly and most of the fines related to using double hooks and setting and leaving fishing lines unattended, which can cause other species such as turtles, birds and fish to die.

Mr Walker said it was rare that such a large number of people would be fined at one time.

The area is patrolled regularly but the department had received an anonymous tip-off.

"On the Queensland side, QBFP apprehended nine people and issued fines for 20 offences, totalling $6000," Mr Walker said.

"These offences included failure to mark set lines and failure to be in attendance of lines.

"Fishing rules and regulations can be different across state borders but individuals are responsible for knowing the rules for the area they intend to fish and sticking to them - ignorance is no excuse."

The area was patrolled with NSW Primary Industries Department staff.

NSW fisheries compliance director Glenn Tritton said his officers issued 13 fines totalling almost $4500 to seven men between the ages of 20 and 72 years.

"Offences included using more than two hand-held lines, possessing prohibited fishing gear, leaving lines unattended, failing to carry fishing licences and using live fin fish as bait," he said.

"A collection of illegal fishing gear was also seized, including 48 set lines (15 with double hooks attached), two cast nets, and one 21m hand-hauled yabby net.

"It can be a difficult area to patrol and teamwork ... makes the job easier. Officers who are stationed near the border are authorised under both Queensland and NSW legislation.

Two months ago a NSW fisherman was fined $10,000 for catching thousands of flathead when on a north Queensland fishing trip.

A bag or possession limit refers to the number of fish in possession at any one time, not just the day's catch.

It includes fish caught previously that, for example, could be in a freezer or Esky at home, at a campsite or in a caravan.

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Jimmyjack Apprentice

Jimmyjack

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may be crook, or may not. If therre were cast nets and cross lines then throw the book. It's possible that there were twenty of them and some chucked in an extra hand line or two and went back to the camp for a beer. They didn't write their names on the handlines, big bloody deal. SO maybe they were up to no good, and maybe they were just having a few quiet ones with mates and didn't follow all the rules, esp the silly ones.

I don't condone stripping of inland resources but I don't know the fuill story, and might have walked away from handlines myself occasionally out west.

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