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Cervantes Country Club manager fined over 44 rock lobsters
Date: Tuesday, 22 September 2009
The manager of the Cervantes Country Club has been fined more than $6400, over a fisheries offence related to 44 western rock lobsters.
In the Jurien Bay Magistrates Court on Thursday (17 September 2009) 36-year-old Dale Robson SIMMONS was ordered to pay a total of $6436.20 (fine, mandatory penalty and court costs) for an offence committed in April this year.
Fisheries and Marine Officers had conducted an inspection at the Cervantes Country Club, on Monday 20 April, where they found two boxes containing 44 tail-clipped western rock lobsters – 20 had been cooked, a further 24 were uncooked.
Midwest Region Compliance Manager Robert Bogumil said tail clipping was a requirement for recreationally-caught western rock lobsters.
“The sustainability rules, which guarded against the potential sale of rock lobsters that were caught recreationally, were important to fairness and equity and prevention of the uncontrolled exploitation of lobster stocks,” Mr Bogumil said.
Department of Fisheries prosecutor Brendon Bellottie told the court the club’s manager had failed to provide records for the 44 rock lobsters, which breached a regulation that required a person who purchased or received fish for commercial purposes to ensure that records were kept.
Mr Bogumil said when Fisheries and Marine Officers questioned Simmons he had stated he didn’t have any records or receipts for the rock lobsters, as they had been donated for a footy club function and the club was going to serve them to members, but not for a charge.
“The magistrate was provided with the evidence in the case and Simmons was fined $100 for the offence of not keeping the required records,” he said.
“Because the offence was proved, the offender was also given a mandatory penalty equal to 10 times the prescribed value of the 44 western rock lobsters.
“That led to a penalty of more than $141 for each of the rock lobsters involved.”
More details about the rules around rock lobster fishing are available from the Department of Fisheries website www.fish.wa.gov.au.
The annual rock lobster season operates from mid or late November (start dates vary for recreational fishing and some commercial zones) through until the end of June each year.
Anyone who has information on illegal fishing activity should call the department’s 24-hour FISHWATCH number on 1800 815 507.
In the Jurien Bay Magistrates Court on Thursday (17 September 2009) 36-year-old Dale Robson SIMMONS was ordered to pay a total of $6436.20 (fine, mandatory penalty and court costs) for an offence committed in April this year.
Fisheries and Marine Officers had conducted an inspection at the Cervantes Country Club, on Monday 20 April, where they found two boxes containing 44 tail-clipped western rock lobsters – 20 had been cooked, a further 24 were uncooked.
Midwest Region Compliance Manager Robert Bogumil said tail clipping was a requirement for recreationally-caught western rock lobsters.
“The sustainability rules, which guarded against the potential sale of rock lobsters that were caught recreationally, were important to fairness and equity and prevention of the uncontrolled exploitation of lobster stocks,” Mr Bogumil said.
Department of Fisheries prosecutor Brendon Bellottie told the court the club’s manager had failed to provide records for the 44 rock lobsters, which breached a regulation that required a person who purchased or received fish for commercial purposes to ensure that records were kept.
Mr Bogumil said when Fisheries and Marine Officers questioned Simmons he had stated he didn’t have any records or receipts for the rock lobsters, as they had been donated for a footy club function and the club was going to serve them to members, but not for a charge.
“The magistrate was provided with the evidence in the case and Simmons was fined $100 for the offence of not keeping the required records,” he said.
“Because the offence was proved, the offender was also given a mandatory penalty equal to 10 times the prescribed value of the 44 western rock lobsters.
“That led to a penalty of more than $141 for each of the rock lobsters involved.”
More details about the rules around rock lobster fishing are available from the Department of Fisheries website www.fish.wa.gov.au.
The annual rock lobster season operates from mid or late November (start dates vary for recreational fishing and some commercial zones) through until the end of June each year.
Anyone who has information on illegal fishing activity should call the department’s 24-hour FISHWATCH number on 1800 815 507.
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