under size fish takers beware!!!

[snake 1]

Was checking fishing spots around the Port river recently and was amazed at the amount of undersize bream i noticed in people's buckets, I approached a few of them to c if they were aware of size limits, but this proved to be a frustrating exercise due to the lack of English they spoke so I went back to the car and returned with my tape measure and started measuring their fish to show them what a legal fish looked like. The only response I got was a look of total annoyance and lack of interest, so i gave up trying and proceeded to throw the undersize fish from their bucket back into the river. They yelled something at me, grabbed the bucket, and I left.What i want to know is has anyone seen fisheries warn or fine anyone around the Port River because i fish heaps,and I haven't seen one!!! Having restrictions by relying on someone to report an offence is useless when the fish are already dead and heading off in the car before anyone gets there!!!We need more fisheries officers enforcing this law especially around our rivers because its happening way to much!!! > > >

[greeny03 0]

This has come a few times before Snake and I fell the pain also!! On the jetty once down at Semaphore there was a group fishing and they too had undersize fish in their bucket!! Now I didn't have my phone on me and my wife did, but she doesn't have the fisheries number anyway. On the way back to my car by sheer luck a copper was parked next to mine filling out paper work. Tapped on the window and told him what was going on.He told me he would go down there and have a look. On the way through the Port we went to the fisheries and there was a car but alas it's not open on weekends!! This puzzled me a little but government funding I suppose!! Anyhow rang the number on the door and got put through to one of the two officers who were on duty that weekend. So only Two were on duty and this one said he was in KADINA!!The other was down south but he didn't know where. These were the only guys working on the weekend when I imagine more people fish. This may not take into other areas but this is the impression I got. But he said the police do have the same powers to take action. So back to how many officers there are, I believe there should be more and even some in more areas on the weekend. The government talk about marine parks and protecting what we have, but IMO they dint want to employ more fisheries to police the coast cause they will say this is not cost effective. But it will be much easier to have marine parks and a few boats around policing them issuing big fines to raise the coffer a bit more. Instead of giving jobs to the comunity, it is easier to blame recreational fishers and eventually fill the port and other areas with buildings so access becomes next to impossible to fish anyway. More people will need to get boats if they are passionate about fishing and we all know the government have covered this by charging more for registration!! JUST MY RANT anyhow Lol!!

[1ONMEPILLIE 0]

Had a customer tell me yesterday that theres a bloke who fishe's around the snowden beach marina and is taking twenty litre bucket loads of bream quite often when he asked him what he does with them he told him he sells them to his friends :icon_evil:now thats not on >:(apparently he has told fisheries but hasn't seen them there once .hissy.

[The Guru 0]

Those fisheries need to get their priorities straight. When they do nothing about this crap and yet they will tell some kids down the jetty to take a hook off their whiting rig cause there is one too many...

[Guest dabilda]

Those fisheries need to get their priorities straight. When they do nothing about this crap and yet they will tell some kids down the jetty to take a hook off their whiting rig cause there is one too many...

Surely a sign they ARE out there doing their job. If you, or anyone is not abiding by the LAW you will eventually be caught.Fisheries are a very undermanned office. The best thing you can do is note any particulars about any offenders you see (car rego, description etc) and ring fisheries. They will put patrols in place when possible, if there is an officer in the area they might even get there sooner than you thought.I've been fishing about 40 yrs and have NEVER seen or been asked anything by a fisheries officer but I'm sure my day will come....... but hey, as long as I'm doing the right thing, what do I care?What has to be realised is 1 fisheries officer could cost over $100,000 per year to provide (wage, superannuation, workcover, vehicle, fuel etc etc). Who is going to pay for that? At the end of the day, these offenders will make your fishing experience less fruitful and much more expensive.The best you can do is ring and report what you see, do your bit to help the officers we do have. If enough calls come in about an area it will be listed as a priority area and patrols stepped up. (I would hope that would be the case anyway)

[Mickyj 3,205]

I used to see a few at at the Lake.Came home and phoned up fishwatch and dobbed them in .Took a week for them to show up.

[Highfly 0]

Most of the offenders are just ignorant. Whats needed is more education, Its usually the guys that cant afford the decent gear and just dont know how to find or catch the decent fish that do this. You will find that as their fishing improves so will there " fishing ethics".Fisheries have to prioritse.Its the blokes with the $100,000.00 dollar boats taking 300 / 400 kilos of snapper a night. Or poaching several thousands of dollars of Abs a night that the fisheries would be concentrating on. Rather than the land based pensioner that cant afford to by bait so they dig it themselves and then take a few u / size bream to eat. These blokes are eating fish from the Port River. I feel sorry for them dude. Who would u rather get caught ?

[Mickyj 3,205]

Most of the offenders are just ignorant. Whats needed is more education, Its usually the guys that cant afford the decent gear and just dont know how to find or catch the decent fish that do this. You will find that as their fishing improves so will there " fishing ethics".Fisheries have to prioritse.Its the blokes with the $100,000.00 dollar boats taking 300 / 400 kilos of snapper a night. Or poaching several thousands of dollars of Abs a night that the fisheries would be concentrating on. Rather than the land based pensioner that cant afford to by bait so they dig it themselves and then take a few u / size bream to eat. These blokes are eating fish from the Port River. I feel sorry for them dude. Who would u rather get caught ?

BOTHBut the little old man/women/kids or ethnic Aussie who doesn't speak or read English .Should get a written warning(in more than 1 language) with something being kept on a computer system like they have done on Border security on the TV.So that the next time the fisheries come around they know what size fish to keep.Tough but fair .Get caught twice throw the book at them so to speak.The guys with the big boats etc same thing applies second time just like they do to people who make sell drugs take their boats houses cars away .See if they offend a second time .really we as a nation are to soft on offenders you dont like it dont break the law simple.Just what i think .

[fishnfreak 0]

Eastern states have published their fisheries booklets in several languages so that these people cannot use ignorance as an excuse. I beleive they still know that they are doing the wrong thing as you see people telling them the rules and legalities all the time, but the booklets might help to bring a few to the legal side of the fence.And Snake, good work on releasing the undersize fish, we have done that many a time, including kicking their buckets over the side, so they cannot continnue to keep undersize fish. Dont worry we recover the bucket once they leave, im not littering!

[petermar 0]

you could try contacting the police because i think they are working with fisheries due to a shortage of fisheries officers regards petermar

[Guest dabilda]

And Snake, good work on releasing the undersize fish, we have done that many a time, including kicking their buckets over the side, so they cannot continnue to keep undersize fish.

And then you wonder how fisherfolk get a bad name and find in many areas the welcome mat is not rolled out for you. ??? ??? ??? ??? ??? ???

[Highfly 0]

Sorry dudes, two wrongs :-[u choose to do the right thing, onya. :)Not really better than them if u start being violent. :thumb:Usually the blokes gettin frustrated arent able to catch the big ones either. In their minds they blame the blokes keepin the odd u/size for themselves for not being able to catch decent fish. Spend more time improving your knowledge and techniques and less time worrying about the minority of blokes who are less knowledgable than urself Sorry dudes but thats the way it is

[snake 1]

Totally agree, violence isn't the answer and only released fish in frustration after being polite and trying to educate size limits to offenders. Around places like port river, its more the majority in my view who blatantly disregard well known restrictions.The point i raised was the fact that the fisherman who are concerned about future stocks have to resort to such actions and lack of fisheries officers(2 officers is a joke)needs to be addressed.Not being able to catch decent fish is not what makes law abiding fisherman frustrated its the "who gives a shit" attitude shown to the restrictions that frustrates me!Lack of legal size fish caught is not an excuse to take undersize fish home(this is why restrictions are needed),they are breaking the law and thats the point!With so many signs around fishing areas stating fish regulations lack of knowledge is not an excuse unless they arrived from another planet!!All this happens within 100mtrs of head office near the bridge, so with all the revenue raised from boat launching fees, registration etc. surely more officers should be employed to enforce the rules that are in place which is why we have this department in the first place!!

[Mickyj 3,205]

Eastern states have published their fisheries booklets in several languages so that these people cannot use ignorance as an excuse. I beleive they still know that they are doing the wrong thing as you see people telling them the rules and legalities all the time, but the booklets might help to bring a few to the legal side of the fence.And Snake, good work on releasing the undersize fish, we have done that many a time, including kicking their buckets over the side, so they cannot continnue to keep undersize fish. Dont worry we recover the bucket once they leave, im not littering!

Good on the eastern states perhaps the same here. With the addition of people who are of the same ethnic mix being employed by the fisheries .Just make the employees male as many males will never do what a womn says

[rocket102 0]

Hi guysIts sad but true that the undersize fish takers will soon outnumbers us and they will eventually stuff up our fishing grounds as they have done in their own countries. I have only been in Adelaide for 6 years but in that time I have come across far too many people who take undersize fish. While trying to explain the size,bag limits all I get is 'me no understand' or blank looks. Are the fisheries going to do something about this epidemic before it is too late or are they going to wait till it is too late and then look for a cure. I have seen undersize fish, crabs and shellfish by the bucket full taken by these undesirables and it really pisses me off. Now I have bought a boat and what do I see, more of these Aholes with boats doing the same thing but with access to more areas.[glow=red,2,300][move]THIS HAS TO STOP NOW [/move] [/glow] I think the fisheries need to pass the authority on to more volunteers to be able to enforce the size bag/limit laws so that our fisheries can be protected before it is too late.Maybe a few vigalanties throwing these people back as wellas their catch may help. :icon_lol:rocket102

[The Guru 0]

I said get their priorities straight... I didn't say anything about them not doing their job. Fining people for taking undersized fish, I agree with. But when there is a couple of kids on the jetty with just say one too many hooks on their rig and then these two fisheries force them to undo it when all around them there is 'so-called' Austrlians snatching baby crabs left right and centre and they don't do fucking shit about it. I have seen it many times.Maybe you have not fished a jetty for a while?

[coonta kinta 1]

Some interesting points of view here guys. Some worthy ideas and some mis information as well.I'm no insider, but my time as a fishcare volunteer many years ago taght me a lot about the workings of the system.The general belief is that we need MORE compliance officers. This is true, a lack of funding to all government departments means that there is finite financial resource to be managed and balanced. Compliance is only one aspect of PIRSA and because its the commercial sector who contribute the bulk of those funds in the form of licence fee's, its they who receive the greatest attention. Believe it or not its that sector who expect and see the greatest effort from compliance, not the recreational sector. If you want more compliance, then unfortuneatly, u'll have to pay for it! That means licences which I believe many of you will not accept. I like many others belive we need them for the reason I have outlined above. However I wont be drawn on that topic in this thread.Dabilda makes a VERY GOOD point and one that many fail to accept or understand. Just because you believe that Fisheries will not investigate your information many of you dont bother. The TRUTH is that ALL information is taken seriously, and consistancies investigated. thats why its important to take note of things like, the type of car, registration, time, number of people and their description. ALL this information is then used to mount an investigation if there is enough information to begin one. To say the old man down the road has been taking U/S bream everyday this week and selling em to his neighbours just isnt enough info. Now if one, two, or four of you witness this event, can provide accurate details about the vehicle this fellow drives, his habits, etc etc etc. I'm sure Fisheries would be very keen to hear from you and even keener to speak to the gentleman in question. There is SO much that needs to ahppen to make convictions stick. How many times have we heard or read about someone getting off on a technicallity because the investigating officers havent ticked all the boxes or were sloppy in their efforts. Can you see where I'm headed here? Simply put.....if u see something report it, dont roll ya eyes and say why bother because then u are just as guilty as they in some ways.Snake, I can understand your disappointment about funding in light of all the taxes and levies we as boaties pay, but those fees have no bearing on the PIRSA budget. They are administered by Transport SA and as such go towards their budget and things like ramps, beacons, roads, etc etc.Some of you even talk of better education. Well how about doing your bit and volunteering some of your fishing time to the FISHCARE VOLUNTEERS? I'm sure they'd be happy to hear from you and you could help to make a difference. If u think by doing this ya gonna be a defacto compliance officer, think again because your RS wouldnt touch the floor on the way out, but if you are genuinely interested in doing your bit why not investigate it further. In a nut shell report indescretions regardless of when u think it will be investigated, and if you want to see more compliance officers, be prepared to pay for them.

[coonta kinta 1]

I said get their priorities straight... I didn't say anything about them not doing their job. Fining people for taking undersized fish, I agree with. But when there is a couple of kids on the jetty with just say one too many hooks on their rig and then these two fisheries force them to undo it when all around them there is 'so-called' Austrlians snatching baby crabs left right and centre and they don't do (Censored)ing shit about it. I have seen it many times.Maybe you have not fished a jetty for a while?

Guru, I finf it hard to believe that statement. Were they compliance officers involved in the incident u describe of volunteers?If they (compliance) were patrolling the jetty you speak of, then no doubt they would ahve also been checking catches of others there also. On the other hand if they were Volunteers, they have no compliance authority what so ever and any sight of same should be reported to fisheries for investigation. These people are there for educational purposes only and anything other than that puts other members and the program as a whole at risk.I dont have a problem with someone enlightening a junior of the regulations, as respect for authority and the rules governing our sport need to be instilled at a yound age. Provied however it is done in a manner befitting the persons age, understanding, and attitude

[Compleat Angler 72]

There was a guy busted at Chinamans Wells in the last week or so. I beleive for over his bag limit.Have heard they got someone at Moonta Bay jetty this morning for undersized crabs.The fisheries guys have a huge area to cover and little staff but they do the best they can. Maybe if we all paid for a fishing licence we could have more fisheries officers.

[Brooksey_134 1]

they spend all ther time siting on ther arses at the inlet..... i see them all the time just siting and talking for ages also seen one sleeping in his car once at the inlet

[rocknev 2]

happened to me last night on whyalla jetty...i was fishing squid, and actually had some asians(20 or so on jetty last ight) offering to BUY them off of me, a polite NO didnt seem to discourage them either...everytime i landed one they were back asking again....eventually they got the hint and left me alone, but the ammount of very small undersize crabs that were taken by them was criminal..... i also pointed out the legal size, and let it be known there was a measuring station at the start of the jetty just seemed to draw a blank stare and some asian words, which were lost on me, YET i heard them talking in broken english not that long before.....and they took EVERYTHING they hooked....there was even a massive eagle ray doing the rounds of the crab nets that they tried to catch on a handline...good luck, it was about 7ft across the wings.another thing that bothered me? there was 2 little kids,running around all over the place, no shoes on and not fussed....they wanted me to give them a squid, which i may have done if i had a few,aged 3 and 5... ALL I COULD THINK ABOUT WAS THEM FALLING IN THE WATER AS HAPPENED LAST WEEK IN TRAGIC EVENTS TO 2 YOUNG KIDS AND THEIR FATHER....i have 3 daughters, aged 13, 7 and 5....the 5 and 7yr old i will NOT take on the jetty fishing, thats MY rule.... in the heat of the moment of pulling in a fish/squid/crab it would be all too easy for a bored kid to lean out a bit too far and they would be in.as is the norm with just about any jetty, you will find hooks etc on the flooring,not to mention the fact of fishing rods worth money, and associated tackle...just waiting to find some toes, or to be snapped,knocked over or otherwise damaged...have also seen more than one rod go over the railing.

[Tyke 0]

Well done Snake.Taking undersize fish annoys the cr@p out of me!!I've stopped fishing on Port Noarlunga Jetty as I've expressed my opinion to certain "fishermen" down there. >:(I had fun beach a nice sized Ray once from that jetty - loads were shouting "give it to us " as I slipped him back -I'd had my fun with that Ray - let someone else catch him.I'm only a real beginner in the sport (art?) of fishing but truly see the value of preserving stocks.My the undersizer's fingers fall off.........

[rocket102 0]

I think the fisheries officers do a good job and unfortunately there are not enough of them, as I originally lived in NSW and had to buy a fishing licence every year I have no problem with paying for one if it means more people to police the scumbags who take undersize fish. Maybe if the licence was introduced it might discourage some of the scumbags and minimise the problem.Or maybe fisheries could hire contractors who are paid a recentage of the fines they accumulate, Im sure they wouldnt have a problem making a decent wage.

[Macka 0]

G'day AllAs a fishcare volunteer myself, I feel as much pain as use guys do when I see undersized fish been taken.Best thing to do is keep ringing thatFISHWATCH Number 1800 065 522 and keep reporting...All these calls that come through get logged on a database, so the more calls they get on a problem-ed area, the more likely they will hit that area next.The compliance offices cant be everywhere and in most cases you probably wouldn't even know there around.We have plain clothes police offices going around, so yep put 2 & 2 together.Why not become a Fishcare volunteer, so if you would like to phone 8347 6100The more hits they get on that database the more chance these offenders will be caught.Cheers to all Macka (Matty)