Adrian Ross Dewar in Bundaberg Magistrates Court over fishing offences

A long-time commercial fisher has been fined thousands of dollars for dodgy crab pot protocol. Here’s how he was caught.

Heading out to catch a haul of crabs proved costly for one Bundaberg fisherman when he was busted loading more than the allowed number of crab pots into his boat.

The law states that any one person can place only four crab pots at a time, but Adrian Ross Dewar had been reeling in 10 of them when fisheries officers spotted him on Skyring Creek on December 16, 2020.

Dewar did not attend court because he was suffering Covid symptoms, but was represented by his lawyer.

Three fisheries officers attended the courthouse.

Magistrate Edwina Rowan heard Dewar had been seen on the creek by fisheries officers and had been emptying a blue Esky of untied mud crabs into the water.

Dewar failed to stop when told to by fisheries officers.

Instead, he took off up the river, accelerating “at speed”.

When officers finally boarded the vessel they found two crab pots containing six undersized crabs and six female crabs, which have been banned from fishing in Queensland since 1914.

An additional eight collapsed crab pots were found.

Fisheries officers, who spoke in court, said Dewar admitted to setting the 10 crab pots but said he’d done so the day before with his partner.

He told officers his partner was called in to work on the day of collection which was why he had been alone.

“He admitted to being aware that it was an offence to take or possess female, undersized mud crabs,” an officer told the court.

Dewar told officers he did not release the female crabs at the time due to tidal motions and not wanting to be stuck in the mangroves.

Officers also told the court Dewar had dumped mud crabs, which they claimed were also undersized, from his boat in order to avoid them being inspected.

The court heard Dewar told officers he had been fishing for crabs since the age of 10 and had worked as a commercial fisherman since he was 16.

Dewar’s lawyer argued his client’s status as a commercial fisherman did not have an impact on his offending, which involved crabs that were not his usual commercial catch were instead for personal use.

Ms Rowan said while Dewar’s status as a fisherman was not an aggravating factor given his work was on trawlers, it was a significant factor that due to his experience, and he would have understood that officers wanted him to stop.

Dewar pleaded guilty to five charges before the court.

For failing to obey a signal to stop, Dewar was fined $600.

For obstructing an inspector, Dewar was fined $1500.

For contravening a fisheries declaration, Dewar was fined $800.

Dewar was fined $2000 and $1500 for two counts of possessing a regulated fish.

He was ordered to pay a $101.40 filing fee.

Convictions were not recorded.