Caught red handed: Eyre Peninsula fisherman fined for snapper, redfish haul

An Eyre Peninsula man has been slapped with just under the maximum fine for being found with a haul of illegally-caught fish and unsuitable equipment.

An Eyre Peninsula fisherman has been fined almost the maximum penalty after being caught red handed taking fish from a protected area.

The 42-year-old Port Lincoln man was found with six snapper, two undersized Nannygai (Bight Redfish), six wrasse, and unsuitable safety equipment after being stopped by Fisheries officers in June.

Keeping snapper from the Gulf of St Vincent, West Coast, and Spencer Gulf is illegal while snapper fishing closures are in place until June 30, 2026.

Gill-ty fisher pays the price for targeting protected species. Picture: Supplied

Ordered to pay $4980 — just below the maximum first time offence fine of $5k — the fisher fronted the Port Lincoln Magistrates Court in February where he was convicted of possessing snapper taken from Spencer Gulf waters, taking undersized fish, exceeding the daily bag limit of wrasse, and failing to carry suitable safety equipment.

Fishers who “deliberately flout the rules” are “letting down” South Australians, Fisheries acting director of operations Matt Read said.

“The restrictions on snapper fishing are an important management measure to help support the rebuilding of snapper stocks in order to secure the long-term future of the species for all South Australian fishers,” he said.

“Fishers who deliberately flout the rules are acting well outside community expectations and are letting down all the South Australians who have collectively foregone Snapper in order to help rebuild stocks of this important and iconic species.”