Darwin commercial fisherman who abandoned net on Coopers Creek that killed two crocodiles fined $600 by Magistrates Court

THE commercial fisherman who abandoned a fishing net in Coopers Creek that killed two crocodiles has been fined $600 in the Darwin Magistrates Court.

Two crocodiles spotted by Andrew Lehmann killed by barramundi nets about 1km inside Coopers creek at East Alligator river .

THE commercial fisherman who abandoned a fishing net in Coopers Creek that killed two saltwater crocodiles has been fined $600 in the Darwin Magistrates Court.

Two dead saltwater crocodiles were found in the net, along with dozens of fish.

Peter James Manning pleaded guilty to abandoning the nets, calling it a “genuine accident”.

“I showed up (to court) this morning to plead guilty and explain what happened,” he said.

“I have 40 years of experience in the industry and I have never committed an offence under the Fisheries Act.”

Mr Manning said the $600 fine was “fair under the circumstances”.

“If someone had done something like this deliberately, (the punishment) should have been much greater.”

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Mr Manning was also ordered to pay $1000 in police costs for the removal of the net, plus court costs.

As well as being a commercial fisherman, Mr Manning is the NT Seafood Council’s spokesman for the barramundi industry, and the General Manager of Seafood and Maritime Industries Training, a non-profit industry based training provider.

AFANT executive officer Tristan Sloan said he was disappointed in the fine.

“In our view the penalty doesn’t fit the crime, the net was in the water for two weeks,” Mr Sloan said.

“Basically it’s a slap on the wrist.”

Mr Sloan said many recreational anglers had contacted AFANT concerned about the net.

Mr Manning said if the recreational anglers were so concerned, they should have removed the net themselves.

Mr Sloan called such statements “ridiculous” noting that it is a criminal offence to interfere with commercial fishing equipment.

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“It was his responsibility to remove the net, and he didn’t even make an attempt to do that,” he said.

Immediately after the removal of the net, AFANT backed Coopers Creek traditional owner Jonathan Nadji’s called to end all commercial fishing on the East Alligator River, including Coopers Creek.

Seafood Council chairman Rob Fish said there would be no impact on Mr Manning’s role with the council.

“He’s been a very professional operator for 40 years,” Mr Fish said.

“It’s easy to make a simple mistake and the court has decided that it is a relatively minor issue.”