DPI crackdown nets hundreds of undersized fish
ALMOST 200 undersized fish, some no bigger than sardines, have been seized in a series of crackdowns at popular holiday fishing spots.
Central Coast
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ALMOST 200 undersized fish, some no bigger than sardines, have been seized in a series of crackdowns at popular holiday fishing spots.
NSW DPI Fisheries officers seized a staggering 119 undersized fish in just two separate incidents at The Entrance over Christmas with species including tarwhine, yellowfin bream, snapper and tailor.
The fish were retained for evidence with several people now facing fines for possessing prohibited size fish, having more than the bag limit and not paying the recreational fishing fee.
On Thursday night Fisheries officers seized a further 43 undersized fish at the same location.
Earlier in the day officers were patrolling Budgewoi Canal when they approached two men fishing off a footbridge.
One of the men allegedly threw the contents of a bucket into the water directly in front of himself.
Fisheries officers saw a number of small fish in the water where the man had tipped the bucket and retrieved a total of 11 fish.
These included undersized tarwhine and yellowfin bream. The two men will be issued fines for allegedly failing to pay the recreational fishing fee and being in possession of prohibited size fish.
They were also warned for obstructing fisheries officers by throwing the bucket of undersized fish away.
DPI Fisheries officer Jai Settree said the Coast saw an influx of holiday-makers over the summer holidays with officers patrolling waterways “through to midnight and the early hours of the morning”.
Despite their tiny size, he said, people still ate the undersized fish.
Sadly, he said, the practice decimated the next generation of breeding fish with some species such as bream taking up to five years to reach sexual maturity.
“The majority (of the fish seized) are juveniles,” he said.
“Our aim is to protect our local waterways from unsustainable fishing practices that can threaten our valuable resource.
“We can all play a role in protecting our resource, one of these (seizures) was the direct result of a report to the Fishers Watch hotline (1800 043 536) and we would like people who suspect illegal fishing to call that number.”
On Friday he and fellow Fisheries officer Ben Travis stopped a middle-aged woman, of Castle Hill, transporting several undersized fish in a plastic bag back to her nearby holiday apartment.
She was issued a $500 fine. Mr Settree said anglers often used women and children as “mules” to take the fish back to their accommodation to avoid being caught with large quantities.
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