Commercial fisher pleads guilty to catching snapper during closed season
Tuesday 10 June, 2008

A commercial fisher from Yorke Peninsula has pleaded guilty in the Holden Hill Magistrates Court last Friday to a series of fisheries offences including taking snapper during the closed season.

Mr David Faraday Gill (62), a commercial fisher of Port Victoria on Yorke Peninsula, pleaded guilty to taking snapper during the closed season, failing to comply with the directions of a Fisheries Officer and operating a vessel in darkness without navigation lights.

The offences occurred in 2005 and were detected by Fisheries Officers as part of a special air, land and sea operation targeting illegal fishing activity prior to the lifting of a month long snapper fishing closure.

Mr Gill was convicted on all three charges and fined a total of $32,190 including an additional penalty and costs. Fifty five snapper weighing more than 240 kilograms plus a quantity of fishing equipment were ordered to be forfeited.

PIRSA Fisheries, Manager Compliance Services, Mr Paul Tatarelli says the outcome reflects the seriousness of the offending.

"It is important that all fishers acknowledge that these closures are put in place for sound resource management reasons and to ensure the long-term sustainable harvest of the species," Mr Tatarelli said.

"The offences occurred during a well publicised, month long, statewide closure of the snapper fishery."

"The special operation undertaken by Fisheries Officers was designed to target this type of illegal fishing activity and should act as a strong deterrent to anyone who might consider this type of activity in the future.

"In this case, Mr Gill’s activity was further compounded by him failing to comply with a direction from Fisheries Officers when he was ordered to stop."

An annual snapper closure was introduced in 2000 after concerns were raised about the long-term health of the snapper fishery. The closure is aimed at reducing the potential for overfishing of snapper and to ensure the future sustainability of stocks.

Media Contact: Gary Darter, Acting Manager Compliance Operations, PIRSA Fisheries, Ph: 0408 805 477.