• MENU >>
• Home
• About Us
• Contact Us

 Abalone raids bring big haul for Fisheries

TWO alleged abalone traffickers from the Mornington Peninsula have been netted in a major fisheries operation.

A Rye man, 40, and a Rosebud man, 48, were arrested in a car park at the rear of a Chinese restaurant in Sunshine on November 19 and charged with abalone trafficking.

Diving equipment, a night viewing device, binoculars and radios, together with a commercial quantity of abalone, were allegedly discovered in a rental car and another car parked nearby.

A raid on a Rye home by Fisheries officers and local police followed last Wednesday week.

The pair were bailed to appear in Sunshine Magistrates Court on January 12.

Fisheries Victoria's chief investigator Murray Donaldson said evidence gathered before the arrests pointed to large-scale trafficking.

"The investigation is ongoing and more people will be interviewed.

"All the equipment, the abalone and a vehicle have been seized.

"Since 2004, possession or trafficking of commercial quantities of priority species, such as abalone, are indictable offences attracting penalties up to 10 years' imprisonment."

Mr Donaldson said abalone over-fishing could not be sustained.

"So the licensed commercial and recreational harvest is highly regulated. Any unlicensed activity is damaging to the resource, which is highly valuable to the Victorian community."

A 44-year-old Ascot Vale man has also been arrested and interviewed and will be charged on summons.

Key words: Big Porro Binoculars, Compact Porro Binoculars

Read more: http://www.nbbinoculars.com/blog/

Add your comment to this post