Small snapper prove very costly for two Geelong men

Two men caught with 54 undersized snapper have been convicted and fined a total of $3600 in the Geelong Magistrates Court.

The court heard a call to the 24 hour fisheries offences reporting line (13 FISH) led Fisheries Officers to Saint Helens in North Geelong, at 8.30 on a Wednesday night in January this year.

They detained two men aged 27 and 24, from Taylors Hill and Hillside and inspected their vehicle as it was leaving St Helens.

Inside they found 55 snapper and only one was of legal size. The catch limit for snapper is ten per person and the minimum size is 28cm.

The undersized fish that were seized ranged from just 20 cm to 26 cm. All the fish were dead and were returned to the water.

The men did not attend court and the matter was heard ex parte, with each man being convicted and fined $1800.

Fisheries Officer Philip Travis said when anglers breach the bag and size limits for snapper in Port Phillip and Corio Bay they compromise the sustainability of the fishery.  

"Over the summer period we saw an abundance of juvenile snapper in Corio Bay, these fish are crucial to the future health of the snapper fishery in Victoria," he said.

"Fisheries officers are actively patrolling the Corio Bay area and I urge people to be responsible and only keep snapper that are over the minimum size of 28 cm."

"The vast majority of anglers obey the catch limits, have fishing licences and are happy to see Fisheries officers enforce the rules to ensure sustainable snapper fisheries in the years ahead."

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