A total of 92 penalty notices were recently handed out by Industry & Investment NSW Fisheries Officers as a result of an operation targeting illegal fishing activity in inland NSW.
According to the Minister for Primary Industries Steve Whan, “more than 1,100 fishers throughout inland NSW were checked by Fisheries Officers over the Easter weekend.”
“While most anglers are doing the right thing, some still show blatant disregard for our fishing regulations and our fishing resources,” he said.
A total of 92 penalty infringement notices ranging from $100 to $500 and 84 written cautions were issued over the four days for a variety of offences including failure to hold a fishing licence and illegal use of fishing equipment.
Four offenders will face the courts on serious fisheries charges relating to the use of gill nets in Ewenmar Creek near Warren.
The offenders face a total of 12 charges and maximum penalties of $22,000 and six months imprisonment. In the operation a range of equipment and fish was seized including 279 set lines, 38 yabby traps, 44 illegal traps, three gill nets plus prohibited size, mutilated and protected fish.
Set lines were banned in inland NSW waters in 2007.
A summary of the inland recreational fishing rules is available at: www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/fisheries, and in the free 2010 NSW Recreational Freshwater Fishing Guide available from Industry & Investment NSW offices, and fishing licence agents, and bait and tackle shops.
