Illegal fishing catch found under false floor

Three fishermen may pay many times the worth of their haul after allegedly using a false floor to stash $1100 worth of illegal fish in a boat off Shellharbour.Authorities seized 46 prohibited-size yellowtail kingfish from the vessel during a surveillance operation not far from the Shellharbour boat ramp last week. Fisheries officers from the Department of Primary Industries allege the boat was modified to include a false floor, with fish up to 18cm below the 65cm legal length concealed below. The fishermen - a 56-year-old Shell Cove man, a 43-year-old Castlereagh man and a 31-year-old Eugowra man - now face charges, including possessing prohibited fish and exceeding the bag limit. Each offence carries a maximum penalty of $11,000 and three months' imprisonment."This particular incident was unique because the alleged offenders went to great lengths to conceal their illegal catch by hiding the undersized yellowtail kingfish under a false floor in the bow of the boat," Primary Industries Minister Ian Macdonald said."Despite their efforts to avoid detection, the illegal stash was discovered following a thorough search by fisheries officers. "This is a significant breakthrough in stamping out fisheries crime in NSW." The daily bag limit for yellowtail kingfish is five. The limit was lowered and the minimum size was increased in September 2007 because too many of the fish were being caught before they had a chance to mature and breed. "The rules are in place for a good reason - to protect this valuable community resource for future generations and also protect the livelihoods of those fishers that are abiding by the rules," Mr Macdonald said.