There might have been one that got away after two men rode their trail bikes around vehicles with flashing lights and Honorary Fisheries Officers asking for them to stop, but when one of the bike’s stalled, a Marangaroo man was apprehended in illegal possession of 42 marron.
It was on the night of 27 February this year. The marron were live and stored in the man’s backpack.
The night’s events took place inside the prohibited area of the water catchment at Victoria Reservoir in Canning Mills, where no fishing or marroning is allowed at any time of the year.
The 35 year old admitted to catching the marron by hand, whilst snorkelling in the dam. The marron were seized and released alive back into the water.
On Tuesday (3 August) in Armadale Court it was revealed the man had also participated in a second record of interview in May with officers from the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) where he admitted:
– not knowing the identity of the second rider,
– jointly catching the marron with the other person,
– not knowing the rules relating to fishing for marron,
– owning and carrying the backpack that contained the marron; and
– keeping the marron for the other person to put in their dam.
The magistrate ordered the man to pay a total of $3859.30; including a fine of $1,500 for possession of marron in a non-possession period, the mandatory additional penalty of $2,100 (equal to 10 times the prescribed value of $5 for each of the 42 marron involved in the offence). Costs of $259.30 were also added to the offender’s court bill.
DPIRD’s Director of Regional Compliance Metro, Todd A’Vard said this was another reminder that fishing offences carry large fines and mandatory additional penalties.
“Out of season marron fishing is something our DPIRD compliance officers close to Perth and in the South West and Southern regions check on throughout the year,” Mr A’Vard said.
“We work closely with WA Police in regional areas to detect illegal marron fishing and in this case Water Corporation Catchment rangers looking after our drinking water dams, who have legal status as Honorary Fisheries Officers if they come across people fishing illegally.
“Sharing information and resources has benefitted both departments, to help us to better manage freshwater and marron fishing activities. You can help too, by reporting suspected illegal marroning to FishWatch on 1800 815 507.”