Illegal netters' foiled plan ends with seized van

21 September 2017

Two men and a woman were arrested and had their van and fishing equipment seized after allegedly catching 61 fish with an illegal net at Lake Tyers last Monday night.

Acting Senior Fisheries Officer Matt Bateson said the trio were intercepted by Fisheries Officers as they arrived home in Lakes Entrance.

"It will be alleged the trio drove to the Toorloo Arm Bridge on the Princess Highway near Lake Tyers in a white Toyota Hi-Ace van at approximately 6pm last Monday," Mr Bateson said.

"They allegedly set an illegal monofilament mesh net under the bridge, then left the area in their van."

"When intercepted and searched, Fisheries Officers found one live mullet."

"A short time later, Officers retrieved a 22.5m mesh net from under the bridge that had caught 48 bream, 2 luderick and 11 mullet in the short time it had been set."

"The van was seized along with the mesh net and the three offenders will be charged with offences under the Fisheries and Crimes Act and summoned to appear in the Bairnsdale Magistrates Court."

Mr Bateson said bream move up the estuary to spawn at this time of year, so this type of activity had the potential to threaten the long term sustainability of the fishery.

"It's very disappointing to find people prepared to engage in illegal netting with a blatant disregard for the environment."

Anyone who sees or suspects illegal fishing activity is urged to call the 24 hour reporting line 13 FISH (13 3474).