Jail time for abalone poacher
A man found with hundreds of illegal abalone on the NSW south coast has been sentenced to six weeks in jail, Minister for Primary Industries, Steve Whan, said yesterday.
Whan said the man faced charges relating to the illegal possession of 265 abalone at Bunga Beach, south of Bermagui in July 2008.
“Industry & Investment NSW fisheries officers apprehended the man following a surveillance operation conducted by the Statewide Operations and Investigations Group,” Whan said.
“The man has had previous convictions for abalone theft and was sentenced by the court to six weeks imprisonment for these latest charges.
“This is a great result for the industry as it is believed the abalone were destined for the black market,” he said.
The possession limit in NSW is two per person in areas open to the taking of abalone, while the minimum legal length for abalone is 11.7cm.