Fishers fined $7,000 for 798 redclaw tails

Two Townsville fishos found with eight times the legal possession limit of redclaw have each been fined $3500.

Queensland Boating and Fisheries Patrol district officer Robert Ibell said officers found 798 redclaw tails in a freezer at a Kidston Dam camp in mid 2015.

“The possession limit for redclaw is 40 per person but in this case two of four fishers at the camp had 319 of the freshwater crayfish over the possession limit,” Mr Ibell said.

“They were also fishing with five traps more than is legally allowed and their fishing gear was not correctly tagged with the owner’s name and address.

The fishers faced 11 charges in the Townsville Magistrates Court, including unlawfully possessing regulated fish and failing to comply with fishing gear laws.

They had no conviction recorded and all 18 fishing traps were forfeited to the court.

Mr Ibell said possession limits and restrictions to freshwater fishing gear were in place to protect Queensland’s valuable fish stocks from overfishing.

“A fisher must not use more than four canister, collapsible, funnel, round traps or four dillies, or a combination of these traps at one time.

“There is no size limit for redclaw, however, the possession limit is 40 from their natural range which is the Gulf of Carpentaria drainage and from Jacky Jacky River basin south to the Normanby River basin on the north east coast of Queensland.

“Female redclaw carrying eggs and young must be returned to the water when taken from these waters.”

Fishers have a responsibility to ensure they understand and are up-to-date with Queensland’s fishing rules.

COMMENT
While some of us may feel sorry for these guys having to pay $3500 each, if everyone did this sort of thing, our fisheries would be in dire straits. So a deterrent is needed.

Changing water levels remain an important factor in determining fishing quality at impoundments, and it seems levels fluctuate more than ever with today’s extremes of weather.

A good one-stop shop for water level information is this BOM website … http://water.bom.gov.au/waterstorage/awris/

With all the great info on the internet today, how did we catch fish before computers came along? 🙂

Hope you find the site useful.

The Queensland Government has almost doubled the number of stocked impoundments where anglers can fish under the Stocked Impoundment Permit Scheme (SIPS).

The expansion of the program from July 1, 2016, gave fishos access to 63 dams and weirs throughout the state.

“The addition of these fishing spots will see a boost to freshwater recreational fishing right across the state,” Minister for Agricultural and Fisheries Leanne Donaldson said said.

“Anyone over 18 who wants to fish in these waters will require a permit but the good news is that at least 75 per cent of the money received in permits will be directed back into the system.

“This means this money is being used to enhance the stocking program and for the first time, it will allow stocking groups to apply to use some of this money to enhance the recreational fishing experience at their local dams and weirs.

“The expansion of the SIPS will provide increased recreational fishing opportunities to regional communities through the provision of world class freshwater fishing.”

This is a win-win for recreational fishers, local fish stoking groups and regional communities right across Queensland.

“Currently the scheme generates revenue of approximately $1 million each year through the sale of some 50 000 permits,” Ms Donaldson said.

“SIPS will also move into the 21st century from 1 July with permits becoming digital making it fast, easy and convenient for anglers.

Digital permits for freshwater fishing will arrive by email or text message and will be able to be displayed on the phone.

Australia Post will manage the sale of permits which can be purchased online, at any Australia Post outlet or sub-agent in Queensland and from limited locations in northern New South Wales or over the phone.

An annual permit costs $50, $36 for an annual concession permit and a weekly permit is $10.

Permit fees have been fixed for the next five years.

New SIPS stocked dams and weirs …

· Aplins Weir Townsville (North Queensland)

· Caboolture River Weir, Caboolture (Moreton Bay)

· Goondiwindi (Hilton) Weir, Goondiwindi

· Miles Weir, Miles (Western Downs)

· Baroon Pocket Dam, Maleny (Sunshine Coast)

· Cecil Plains Weir, Cecil Plains (Toowoomba)

· Hinze Dam, Gold Coast hinterland

· Surat Weir, Surat (Maranoa)

· Beebo Weir, Texas (Goondiwindi)

· Chinchilla Weir, Chinchilla (Darling Downs)

· Inglewood Town Weir, Inglewood (Goondiwindi)

· Talgai Weir, Clifton (Southern Downs)

· Beehive Dam, Wallangarra (Southern Downs)

· Claude Wharton Weir, Gayndah (North Burnett)

· Jones Weir, Mundubbera (North Burnett)

· Whetstone Weir, Inglewood (Goondiwindi)

· Ben Anderson Barrage, Bundaberg

· Ewen Maddock Dam, Landsborough (Sunshine Coast)

· Koombooloomba Dam, Ravenshoe (Tablelands)

· Woodford Weir, Woodford (Sunshine Coast)

· Ben Dor Weir, Inglewood (Goondiwindi)

· Gill Weir, Miles (Western Downs)

· Lake Belmore, Croydon (Gulf Savannah)

· Wyaralong Dam, Beaudesert (Scenic Rim)

· Black Weir, Townsville (North Queensland)

· Gleeson Weir, Townsville (North Queensland)

· Lake Kurwongbah, Petrie (South east Queensland)

· Yarramalong Weir, Milmerran (Toowoomba)

· Bonshaw Weir, Texas (Goondiwindi)

· Glenarbon Weir, Texas (Goondiwindi)

· Lemon Tree Weir, Millmerran (Toowoomba)

For the latest info visit their website here.