Illegal abalone haul results in hefty fines
Wednesday 30 April, 2008
Two Adelaide men have been fined more than $15,000 each after pleading guilty to a number of abalone related fisheries offences.
Appearing before the Millicent Magistrates Court on 22 April 2008 were Mr Alex Bendikov (19) of Mawson Lakes and Mr Jay Justin Hoklas (20) of Salisbury.
Both were convicted of a number of charges including taking over the bag limit of abalone, taking undersized abalone, failing to carry a measuring device and failing to bring abalone above the high water mark before shucking.
As a result, the men were both fined $2,300 with an additional penalty of $12,837.05 each.
The court appearance was as a result of PIRSA Fisheries Officers observing the two men taking a large amount of abalone from Little Dip Conservation Park, near Robe on the Limestone Coast, in August 2007.
At that time, the officers seized 184 shucked abalone as well as a quantity of dive gear. The Court ordered that the abalone and diving gear be forfeited as part of the penalty.
PIRSA Fisheries Manager Compliance Services, Mr Paul Tatarelli said the result sends a strong message to the community that this type of illegal activity will not be tolerated.
“The State’s abalone stocks are valuable and illegal activity has the potential to damage their long term sustainability,” Mr Tatarelli said.
“The health of our fisheries are paramount and fishing rules are put in place to ensure there is fair and sustainable access to this marine resource.”
