A 35-year-old Kalbarri man was ordered to pay $3,194.30 in Geraldton Court earlier this month after being caught exceeding the combined bag limit of demersal fish and fishing without a recreational boat fishing licence.
The man was the master of a recreational fishing vessel and had two other people on board, where all three commenced line fishing for demersal fish in the Indian Ocean out from the Murchison River mouth on September 21, 2025.
When the vessel returned to the boat ramp in the river around mid-afternoon, fisheries officers from the Western Australia Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) approached and advised the skipper that they would inspect his catch.
The court heard that with another two fishers the accused was involved in taking and retaining two pink snapper, one baldchin groper and a WA dhufish. He also proceeded to provide false information to the officers.
The primary offence was that the accused provided DPIRD fisheries officers a false name in order to escape being found without a current fishing licence and to avoid any penalties associated with exceeding the combined bag limit.
The bag limit was exceeded for the number of licensed fishers on the vessel, of which there was only one.
DPIRD Senior Operations Manager Dean Clarke said fishers are required to know and follow WA’s fishing rules, which have been set to establish sustainable catch levels.
“Fishers must ensure they don’t fish beyond the bag and possession limits and fish with legal gear, which is vital to the sustainability of our recreational fisheries,” he said.
“The rules for recreational fishing are available in the Recreational fishing guide 2026 and information can also be found online by searching the rules by species and location.”
Anyone who suspects illegal fishing activity should call FishWatch on 1800 815 507 or report the matter via the online form on Crimestoppers.
