Officers had been watching a Batemans Bay man for some time before they moved in to arrest him for alleged involvement in abalone theft.

NSW Department of Primary Industries fisheries compliance director Glenn Tritton said the 36-year-old tried to hide when approached in a bushland area near Bermagui on January 28.

“When approached in bushland, the man attempted to avoid detection and was located hiding up in a tree,’’ he said.

When the man came down from the tree, officers allegedly discovered he had 161 Blacklip abalone in his possession.

Under NSW law, a person can only catch two abalone per day.

The 36-year-old has been charged with trafficking in an indictable species of fish, possessing more than the allowed amount of abalone and possessing shucked abalone at an unauthorised premises.

The charges carry up to ten years imprisonment and fines worth thousands of dollars.

‘‘Courts now also have the option to impose additional monetary penalties of up to 10 times the market value of the abalone,’’ Mr Tritton said.

‘‘Fisheries Officers will continue to conduct strategic abalone compliance operations across NSW to target those involved in illegal abalone theft and bring them before the courts.’’

Information about illegal abalone activity can be reported to the NSW Fisheries Statewide Operations and Investigation Group on 6499 8000.