Illegal abalone haul off Brighton on New Years Eve

05 January 2023

While hundreds of people were preparing to welcome in 2023 last weekend, Fisheries Officers were on deck looking after our bay fishery and thousands of anglers enjoying all it has to offer.

Acting CEO Victorian Fisheries Authority Ian Parks said a targeted patrol at Green Point in Brighton apprehended four men who had allegedly taken 311 abalone, including 276 that were undersize.

“The daily bag limit for abalone is 5 per person,” Mr Parks said.

“Fisheries Officers had observed three of the men duck-diving in the intertidal zone, aided by a fourth man ashore who allegedly acted as their look-out.

“After several hours of diving over shallow reef, three bags of abalone were allegedly removed from the water, concealed in the men’s wetsuits, and taken to the alleged look-out man’s white van parked nearby.

“One of the divers got into a second car and allegedly tried to leave the scene but was blocked by a Fisheries car and arrested.

“The other two divers were also arrested, as was the look-out man despite his alleged attempt to blend in with the crowds who were using Green Point as a vantage spot to see in the new year and city fireworks.”

Mr Parks said officers returned all the abalone to the water, seized the men’s wetsuits and placed the white van on a retention notice for six months.

The men will be charged with a variety of offences including taking undersize abalone, exceeding the catch limit and possessing a commercial quantity of abalone.

If you see or suspect illegal fishing, call our 24/7 reporting service, 13FISH (133474), to speak directly to a Fisheries Officer. You can remain anonymous. Make the call and make the difference.