Police have slapped two groups of fishers with fines exceeding $12,500 after catching them with illegal catches at Gordon and Battery Point over the weekend.
Four people fishing at Gordon had their boat and equipment seized after allegedly being caught with unmarked lobster pots, undersize fish and sharks taken from a protected area. They were fined more than $10,000.
Marine Police watched a vessel allegedly set and retrieve rock lobster pots inside the Nine Pin Point Marine Reserve on Saturday night.
The unregistered boat was operating at night without navigation lights or required safety equipment.
When intercepted at Gordon Boat Ramp, the four people aboard had unmarked lobster pots, five school sharks from a shark refuge area and undersize sand flathead.
Police seized the vessel and all fishing gear.
Meanwhile two men at Battery Point copped infringement notices worth over $2,500 for allegedly keeping eight undersize flathead, some as small as 23cm.
Officers had responded to a tip from the public, where they found the two men at a Battery Point jetty with the undersize flathead.
Current rules allow only two flathead per person, and they must be between 35 and 40cm long.
The undersized fish were returned to the water alive.
Inspector Nikala Parsons from Police Marine and Rescue Services said fishers needed to understand the rules or face serious consequences.
“The onus is on them to understand the regulations for the areas in which they are fishing and that the consequences of illegal fishing can be severe,” she said.
“Illegal fishing can result in thousands of dollars in fines and the seizure of vessels and fishing equipment.”
Parsons warned police would maintain regular patrols of waterways, boat ramps and jetties.
“If you fish illegally, you should anticipate being caught,” she said.
She urged the public to report illegal fishing on 131 444.
Fishing regulations are available at www.fishing.tas.gov.au or through the Fishing Tas app.
