The number of people fined for illegal fishing in SA has fallen by more than 25 per cent, prompting calls that the State Government needs do more to catch fishers flouting the law, before it presses ahead with cutting bag and boat limits.
Figures released to the Opposition through Freedom of Information laws show the number of people given expiations for illegal fishing dropped to 290 in 2014-15, down from 390 the previous financial year with the most common offences for taking undersized fish.
The number of prosecutions were also down to 38 in 2014-15 from 45 in the previous financial year.
The release of the figures come as the State Government considers introducing new limits that would reduce the take for garfish and blue swimmer crabs by half, and Australian herring by a third.
The bag limit for King George Whiting could also be reduced.
Opposition spokesman for recreation and sport Tim Whetstone said greater emphasis should be placed on enforcement.
Before making any changes to recreational fishing bag, size and boat limits, the government must crackdown on the minority of fishers who are breaking the law, he said.
We need to get the basics right before placing any further burdens on the vast majority of law abiding fishers.
I’m advised the State Government has 40 uniformed fisheries compliance officers and that works out to be one paid officer per 6,925 fishers across the state.
RecFish SA executive director David Ciaravolo said the state’s fishers would welcome a greater compliance effort but questioned whether it would be enough to boost fish stocks.
The overwhelming majority of recreational fishers do the right thing so any increased focus on catching people who do the wrong thing would be a positive, he said.
But I can’t say if it would do anything for (the) sustainability (of fish stocks) because there isn’t enough data to know if it would make a difference.
There are some areas where there are problems so some changes probably do need to be made but we need to make sure they are done fairly.
The Advertiser attempted to contact Fisheries Minister Leon Bignell but he was unavailable.
A Primary Industries Department spokeswoman confirmed there were 40 fisheries officers who targeted known offshore and coastal spots, caravan parks, boat ramps and inland waterways.
(The department) acknowledges that most people do the right thing and has in place a strong compliance program that targets compliance efforts where it will have the most impact, she said.
The spokeswoman said most of the bag limits had been in place since the 1970s.
Recreational fishing limits are one of the key management tools that enable the recreational fishery to operate sustainably, she said.
Captain Cook Fishing Charter owner Rod Cook said he had only been checked by fisheries officers once in 15 years.
Even when I ring up to Fish Watch I get told they need to catch them in the act so it’s totally pointless making the call, he said.
Mr Cook, who is based in Wallaroo, said more enforcement and stricter rules around where commercial trawlers could operate would help increase fish stocks.
The spokeswoman said fisheries officers and Fishcare volunteers constantly monitored fishing spots across the state.
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