Bad taste at Goolwa cockle fishery!!!!

[tonyb 1,017]

Took the "bride" down to Goolwa beach recently to have a go for the first time in the 20 years I've been in Aussie to catch some cockles for bait.I phoned around a few mates for best spots and techniques and read up a bit on S&H on the same topic.Next I sent a text message "Cockle" to the new SMS TEXT service recently put in place by the SA Government.3 or 4 seconds later the info was on my mobile phone.OK, bag limit 300, size limit 35 mm.Now, no cockle measure so, headed to the back shed to make one and cast my eye on a copper made, cable saddle which I flattened with the hammer, carefully measured the 35mm, then as carefully bent it to shape in my vice. I reasoned that if it cleared this I'd be in the clear.Off we go brimming with confidence, soon to be shattered by the long arm of the law :ohmy: I was told to travel a few hundred metres along from the Car Park as that area gets hammered, how ever as a "new chum" not having an idea, I decided to go straight in front of the car park and try there.I was instantly in the action scooping handfuls of cockles but almost all had to be measured which I did and discarded the bubs as I went. 45 minutes later with more than a hundred in the bucket and twice as many thrown back, a uniformed Police Officer called me out of the surf, reached into my bucket and measured one of the smaller cockles and said. "Throw these all back in because if I find just one cockle undersize, you will be fined $300!" Panicking I threw them all back, not wanting to take a chance.The Officer then started to go on about sizes and a notice in the car park that I should have read and taken notice of! (incidentally when I checked the notice later, it has clearly painted on it that the bag limit is, YES, still 600!)I wasn't happy at all about what had happened and did my best to explain to the Officer that I had tried in every way to do the right thing and went to the lengths of asking him to check my home made cockle gauge with his plastic one and it fitted his perfectly!!!!!What did I conclude from this experience?I'll pay the exorbitant cockle prices in future, but it does leave a bitter taste in ones mouth that you can't enjoy one of SA's iconic fishing customs!!

[rocknev 2]

sounds like the copper was WELL OUT OF LINE.for a start.... since WHEN do police officers handle the fishing industry? news to me,and sounds like this clown was hiding behind his badge and saying you were guilty before being proven innocent.dont be intimidated by people like this...if you made a measuring device, and knew everything you had caught to be legal, i would i have waded out, shown him everything i had caught, and then carried on cockling.the whiting gauge we made for the boat, is set at 32cm... that way we know that if the tail pops out, its well legal, and will allow for shrinkage.

[Cal 480]

Actually Nev a police officer can excersise the rights of a fisheries officer,I know it sounds weird but they can,if a cop wants to inspect your catch he can and holds the same clout.Tony you could of made him measure each and everyone of your catch,in fact if you were confident of it you should of said go for your life, but because he acted the tool and threw the first one he came to and basically threatened you,it rattled you somewhat.In a way it is good he was down there watching out,but in another,its downright pathetic that he had to put on the clint eastwood asshole act,power...it does weird things to people

[protactic 0]

What colour is a 2 cent piece "DIRTY COPPER"

[Ranger 48]

I too would have asked him to measure them ALL before throwing them back in. I would also take his badge number to report the incident. In fact, I would still be reporting the incident!My next course of action would be to contact our Minister of Fisheries to ask for an explanation as to why the bag limit is listed at 300 on the SMS service, when that is only a VOLUNTARY limit, with the legislated limit still remaining at 600.Sure we all need to follow the law and do the right thing, but that does not mean we can be pushed around or treated unfairly. Stand up for yaselves, but do it sensibly and politely.

[Ranger 48]

protactic wrote:

What colour is a 2 cent piece "DIRTY COPPER"

LOL! Have a karma point for that one!

[penthrox 0]

Sorry to be the bad guy here. If you had done nothing wrong you had nothing to worry about. From what you have stated seems like you did it all by the book so why panic?

[penthrox 0]

Just quickly if a police officer exercises you into a lawful action you need to comply (i.e. if driving and signaled to pullover you must etc) Its the same in this instance. He has a right to check your "catch" though I agree he did use intimidation though nothing that would be followed up.

[Ranger 48]

penthrox wrote:

Sorry to be the bad guy here. If you had done nothing wrong you had nothing to worry about. From what you have stated seems like you did it all by the book so why panic?

It can be difficult when a copper tells you to do something!Having said that, I personally would have told him that I'm law abiding and responsible and that I've measured and counted every cockle and acted legally. Before I throw them back HE is welcome to also sit down and measure each and every one of them, and I'd also ask politely why he is assuming I'm doing the wrong thing.If he wants to push the issue though, you are better off just doing what he says, taking his number and lodging a complaint, because if he wants to be a prick about he can give you a hard time. Things like defecting your car, following you on the road waiting to bust you for a traffic infringement, etc.

[penthrox 0]

Ranger wrote:

penthrox wrote:

Sorry to be the bad guy here. If you had done nothing wrong you had nothing to worry about. From what you have stated seems like you did it all by the book so why panic?

It can be difficult when a copper tells you to do something!Having said that, I personally would have told him that I'm law abiding and responsible and that I've measured and counted every cockle and acted legally. Before I throw them back HE is welcome to also sit down and measure each and every one of them, and I'd also ask politely why he is assuming I'm doing the wrong thing.If he wants to push the issue though, you are better off just doing what he says, taking his number and lodging a complaint, because if he wants to be a prick about he can give you a hard time. Things like defecting your car, following you on the road waiting to bust you for a traffic infringement, etc.

I guess I am a little biased here, i have a brother an uncle and a godfather who are all police officers. All holding the rank of sergeant or above so I have had a lot to do with police my whole life. Sure there are bad apples but just keep in mind that if you have done nothing wrong don't fear they cant do anything to you at all

[protactic 0]

First the biker's now the cockler's ,it's "HARRASSMENT" people ,we need to stand together and protect the right's of the cockler's of this state!I can hear the chants "THE COCKLERS UNITED, WILL NEVER BE DEFEATED / THE COCKLERS UNITED, WILL NEVER BE DEFEATED"

[gardy 0]

RangerYou need to check up on the legislation mateIt was made law at beginning of novemberThe limit is 300 not 600 as it was previously

[jagger 24]

From PIRSA http://www.pir.sa.gov.au/fisheries/recreational_fishing/catch_limits_and_legal_lengthsPipi (Goolwa cockle) Donax deltoides Marine Minimum legal length: 3.5 cm measured across widest part of shell Personal daily bag limit: 300 Closed season: The taking of Pipis is prohibited between 1 June to 31 October (inclusive). During the open season, recreational fishing for pipis (Goolwa cockles) is restricted to the Sir Richard Peninsula (Goolwa Beach), north of the Murray mouth. No recreational fishing for pipis is permitted on the Younghusband Peninsula (Coorong Beach), between the Murray mouth and Kingston SE until further notice.Other changes to pipi fishing for both commercial and recreational fishers have also been introduced. Answers to some frequently asked questions about those changes can be found here.

[tonyb 1,017]

Thanks for the mostly positive input guys, I'd been brewing up on this for a few days and do feel a lot better now that I've had a bit of a grizzle about it.Just one point tho,I wonder how many of us would be utterly confident that every single cockle in a bag of over 100 was comfortably over size when 2/3 rds of them were thrown back as being undersize? especially with the threat of a $300 expiation and a court conviction depending on it :ohmy: I'd be able to buy quite a few sacks of cockles for that price! :ohmy:

[tonyb 1,017]

gardy wrote:

RangerThe limit is 300 not 600 as it was previously

Wonder if they'll bother painting the sign in the Car Park to correct it :silly:

[Guest Brent61southoz]

tonyb wrote:

gardy wrote:

RangerThe limit is 300 not 600 as it was previously

Wonder if they'll bother painting the sign in the Car Park to correct it :silly:

just a point , youll find in a lot of cases that the fishcare volunteers do a lot of sign changes, jetty stencils etcthere are never enough helpers . always needing more volunteers to help educate the less informed / ignorant people that choose to totally ignore new rules.and yes if a fisheries compliance officer is needed but is not available , the local police do have the powers.brent :woohoo:

[rocknev 2]

Cal wrote:

Actually Nev a police officer can excersise the rights of a fisheries officer,I know it sounds weird but they can,if a cop wants to inspect your catch he can and holds the same clout.Tony you could of made him measure each and everyone of your catch,in fact if you were confident of it you should of said go for your life, but because he acted the tool and threw the first one he came to and basically threatened you,it rattled you somewhat.In a way it is good he was down there watching out,but in another,its downright pathetic that he had to put on the clint eastwood asshole act,power...it does weird things to people

really... mate i never knew that thanks for informing me

[pescados 1]

Had a further thought about this and can't say I blame TonyB for getting rid of the cockles, I don't necessarily agree but probably would have done the same thing.When dealing with a bombastic and self opinionated treatning copper he could have checked the cockles and decided there were a couple under zize one's ( even if perfectly legal) and thrown the book at him.If it went to court and Tony had numbered and photographed each cockle they still would have found an excuse and the magistate or like clown would have been onside with the copper and Tony would have lost the case. At least this way no grief, wallet intact and considering cockles at $ 15 ? a kilo would have been cheap.

[gonefishing2105 0]

old pc plod must of had a bad day or noddy gave him the shits still id rather do wat you did and through em back then move somewhere else up the beach and start over again . From wat ive heard the reason that the bag limits droped is because there arnt as many around anymore so instead of hasseling the littel guys why not go after the pros and drop thier lisences and quotas as they do more damage to the fishing industry the the average joe :S