08/05/2025
Nothing to see here, we don't need Fisheries Officers ...
FISHERIES COMPLIANCE RESULTS - EASTER AND ANZAC DAY HOLIDAYS
There was awesome weather over the Easter and ANZAC long weekends, lots of people were out and about, including of course our soon to be extinct Fisheries Officers.
Predictably, many people didn’t do the right thing over the holiday period. Some of these were recorded by members of the public and posted on social media, some you will never hear about unless we tell you. Let's take a look at the many concerning breaches across the long weekends (that we know about).
Along the coast
Two men caught gummy shark fishing in a Marine National Park after midnight.
A man was found to have taken 70 wrasse with the majority being undersize.
Two men were checked after rock fishing with 40 fish, of which 32 were undersize.
Abalone were found concealed in SCUBA vests and additional bags stashed in rock pools.
Tragically three people drowned while fishing at designated rock fishing platforms where lifejackets are now required. Two were swept off the rocks at Punchbowl Rd, San Remo, while collecting abalone and a fisher at Cape Schanck who was wearing a lifejacket. Our thoughts are with their families. Fisheries Officers regularly patrol these rock platforms to ensure lifejacket are worn and to inform people of the
associated dangers.
Around the bays
Over 60 abalone were taken by a diver from a vessel with 4 occupants, who frantically threw abalone overboard including shucked meats. Officers were able to recover 40 abalone and subsequently seized the vessel with charges pending.
Three men took abalone and urchins from a Marine Sanctuary.
A man was found with 32 snapper concealed in his vehicle.
Shellfish were collected from the intertidal zone in numerous locations.
Abalone were found concealed in dive fins, weight belt pockets, gloves and cars.
A vessel was inspected with 8 undersize snapper on board.
One man took 25 abalone and several others twice the bag limit.
An on-water patrol found 5 people to have exceeded the bag limit for squid.
Two men checked with 28 abalone, 18 of which were concealed.
Inland
Excess rods used to take 3 undersize Golden perch.
Murray cod bag limit exceeded, including tethering fish.
An undersize Murray spiny freshwater crayfish was caught out of season.
Officers found and removed a large drum net from a major river.
Two people found to have taken brown and rainbow trout in closed waters.
PLEASE, sign the Parliamentary petition to stop this nonsense!
https://www.parliament.vic.gov.au/get-involved/petitions/closure-of-fisheries-stations-in-metro-melbourne
