ACTING on information provided to NSW DPI’s Fishers Watch hotline, fisheries officers were able to respond quickly to a report of alleged over-collection of mussels at Ben Boyd National Park near Eden on NSW’s South Coast.
Arriving just as the fishing party of four was packing up for the day, fisheries officers inspected the fishers’ catch and equipment. In two large buckets, the fisheries officers found 797 mussels which, based on the number of fishers, was 597 over the legal bag limit for the four fishers.
Mussels, cockles and pipis have a combined bag limit of 50 in total however, only a maximum of 20 cockles in possession is permitted.
In another bag belonging to the fishers, fisheries officers found a number of mixed fin fish, including silver trevally, with their tails cut off. Fish species that have a size limit cannot be mutilated in any way that may impact the accurate measurement of their size, including cutting the tails off. Gilling and gutting is permitted.
All excess mussels were returned to the water live by fisheries officers with the mutilated fish seized. Compliance actions against the fishers will now follow.
If you see suspicious fishing activity, you can call 1800 0430536 or report it online.
