New South Wales (NSW), Australia: A man has been fined US$11,700 and ordered to pay thousands of dollars more in court and professional costs, after being found guilty of illegally taking abalone from a closed area on the NSW South Coast.
"The 35-year-old was apprehended by Industry & Investment (I&I) NSW Fisheries Officers at Boat Harbour in Gerringong in August 2007, after he had been observed diving within the abalone closure area, and was seen to leave the water with a hessian bag," NSW Primary Industries Minister, Steve Whan, said.
"When he was approached by the officers, he threw the contents of the hessian bag, which included a number of abalone, into the water before officers had an opportunity to carry out their duties."
The man was charged with possessing 17 blacklip abalone taken contrary to a fishing closure; he also possessed eleven prohibited sized abalone and more than the maximum quantity of abalone.
The possession limit in waters open to the taking of abalone in NSW is two per person.
The man was also charged with obstructing and verbally abusing a fisheries officer.
He pleaded guilty to the charge of abusing a fisheries officer, but not guilty to the remaining five charges.
