Fisherman Fined $500 For Green Zone Raid

[mrmoshe]

Fisherman fined $500 for green zone raid

July 14, 2009 09:26am

A RECREATIONAL fisherman has had an expensive fishing trip after being the first person to be slugged with a $500 fine for dropping a line in a Queensland bay green zone.

The man was fishing in the Tripcony Bight green zone in the Pumicestone Passage in south-east Queensland, when he became the first recipient of a fine issued under the new Moreton Bay Marine Park zone plan.

Queensland Climate Change and Sustainability Minister Kate Jones said ignorance was no longer an excuse, as everyone should know where and where not to fish.

"This was a recreational fisherman, out on his own, who was spotted with a line in the middle of the green zone," Ms Jones said.

"The incident in question involved a clearly deliberate and blatant breach.

"Those who flout the new green zones can expect to be fined."

Ms Jones thanked the thousands of boaties and fishers who enjoyed the Moreton Bay Marine Park over the school holidays and did not break the law.

"Marine Park rangers who inspected 24 zones in the first week of July reported that they had spoken to dozens of people and had no cause to issue any verbal warnings," she said.

"We all need to treat the new zones seriously and those who don't will feel the full force of the law."

The Moreton Bay zoning plan, introduced earlier this year, protects 16 per cent of the bay as green zones.

Fishing is not allowed in the green zones, but is still permitted in 84 per cent of the park.

Edited July 14, 2009 by MallacootaPete