TWO Townsville fishermen have been fined $17,000 after taking excess coral reef fish to sell on the black market.
The recreational fishers had a haul of 103 coral reef fish on their boat, which included 63 Coral Trout, 28 Red Throat Emperor, nine Spangled Emperor and three Moses Snapper.
As recreational fishers, their catch limit was 20 reef fish each.
Agricultural Industry Development and Fisheries Minister Mark Furner said the two recreational fishers pleaded guilty to unlawfully taking the fish when they appeared in the Townsville Magistrate Court.
“The magistrate stated their actions were deliberate and calculated and dismissed their argument the fish were taken for a social gathering,” Mr Furner said.
“The black market supply of fish threatens the sustainability of the community’s fisheries resources and consumers should only buy seafood from licensed suppliers.
“One of the fishers was fined $8000 for the taking of the fish while the other was fined $9000 for the take of the fish and for failing to stop his boat when directed by QBFP officers to do so.”
Townsville MP Scott Stewart said local Queensland Boating and Fisheries Patrol officers intercepted the fishers in September 2017 while patrolling waters near Little Broadhurst Reef.
“Neither of the men has ever held a commercial fishing licence or a commercial fishing boat licence and, as recreational fishers, they could lawfully only take 20 coral reef fin fish each,” Mr Stewart said.
“An inspection of the vessel also revealed a number of features that suggested it was set up to fish commercially including a device used primarily by commercial fishers to look under the water’s surface, an operational live fish well and an EPIRB registered to a commercial fishing boat.”
To address black marketing of seafood in Queensland, it is proposed to amend the Fisheries Act 1994 to strengthen the enforcement powers of Fisheries inspectors and the penalties for serious offences.
The proposed reforms in the Fisheries Act discussion paper include creating an indictable offence for trafficking in priority fisheries resources, providing magistrates with alternatives to fines to deter repeat offenders and providing fisheries inspectors additional powers of entry to commercial businesses handling seafood products.
A Bill is expected to be put to Parliament later this year.
