‘You’re taking too many cockles!’ Complaint that Asian fisherman was collecting too many molluscs and ‘killing all the fish’ sparks an angry confrontation
- Man accused fisherman at Forster for ‘taking too many cockles’
- Angry fisherman denied breaking the limit before throwing bucketful into water
- Seafood crusader aired dissatisfaction at fisheries’ response to ordeal
A man has confronted a fisherman for ‘taking too many cockles’ and ‘killing all the fish’, sparking a fiery argument between the pair over who was in the wrong.
Russell Babekuhl was camping out at Forster in the mid north coast region of NSW when he came across the fisherman with buckets filled with cockles.
‘Year after year every major long weekend we camp out at Forster,’ he said.
‘And in recent years we have had to witness our local waterways getting abused by visitors.
Russell Babekuhl was camping out at Forster in the mid north coast region of NSW when he came across the fisherman with buckets filled with cockles
Video revealed Mr Babekuhl confronting the fisherman and accusing him of ‘taking too many cockles.’
‘The police are on their way,’ he said.
‘They said to wait with the evidence.’
The fisherman repeatedly denied any wrongdoing and said he was ‘leaving’ behind the cockles.
Under mounting pressure, he began to empty the buckets of cockles into the water.
‘Why are you throwing them back?’ Mr Babekuhl asked.
‘Why are you getting angry? Are you doing the wrong thing?’
According to the Department of Industries NSW, people are only allowed 50 cockles per bag.
Video revealed Mr Babekuhl confronting the fisherman and accusing him of ‘taking too many cockles’
Mr Babekuhl later admitted that he had not originally contacted the fishery, but said this type of behaviour was a problem.
‘All weekend we have attempted to contact fisheries to take action and get them in the act but haven’t been able to get through. Why are we the ones that have to police our local waterways are [sic] fisheries really that understaffed?’
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