- Western Australian man fined and banned from lobster fishing for two years
- Graham Thomas Davies, from Yanchep, sold 300 rock lobsters on black market
- Pleaded guilty following investigation by the Department of Primary Industries
A Western Australian man has been fined and banned from lobster fishing for two years after selling hundreds of rock lobsters on the black market.
Graham Thomas Davies, from Yanchep, was ordered to pay a fine and costs of over $90,000 after pleading guilty to multiple charges following an investigation by the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development Fisheries.
‘This outcome highlights how serious the court considers these offences,’ compliance manager Todd A’Vard said on Wednesday.
A Western Australian man has been fined and banned from lobster fishing for two years after selling hundreds of rock lobsters on the black market (stock image of a cooked rock lobster)
Davies, 67, pleaded guilty in Joondalup Magistrates Court on August 30.
The department says Davies sold more than 300 rock lobsters he had caught recreationally between November 2015 and March 2016.
Mr Vard says the fine and ban sends a strong message.
‘Black market fish thieves are on notice,’ he said.
‘Individuals tempted to sell their catch illegally need to consider the risk of receiving large fines and having boats, vehicles and gear seized.’
Seafood trafficking offences also carry a penalty of four years, he said.
Graham Thomas Davies, from Yanchep, was ordered to pay a fine and costs of over $90,000 after pleading guilty to multiple charges following an investigation by the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development Fisheries (stock image)