Wollongong's Harbourfront Restaurant has become the city’s second seafood eatery to appear in court charged with receiving and selling thousands of dollars worth of illegal rock lobsters.
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Anvi Pty Ltd, the company behind the popular Harbourfront Restaurant, is facing 13 criminal charges related to receiving almost $7500 of rock lobsters that were allegedly caught illegally.
The charges come two months after Seacliff Functions Pty Ltd, the company behind North Wollongong’s Seacliff Restaurant, faced similar offences.
A further 56 charges were brought against Seacliff Functions in Port Kembla Local Court on Tuesday, relating to $15,785 worth of eastern rock lobsters bought on 10 occasions between April 2013 and January 2014.
The company now faces more than 70 charges in total.
Both companies are accused of exceeding the possession limit for eastern rock lobsters and selling them untagged, receiving fish for commercial use without being registered and trafficking an indictable species of fish.
Wollongong fisherman Pasquale Brancatisano and Unanderra business Lochiel South Pty Ltd face more than 130 charges in relation to the transactions.
Prosecutors from the NSW Department of Trade allege Brancatisano falsified his log book entries by intentionally declaring fewer rock lobsters than he caught.
The 50-year-old is accused of selling the difference to other businesses, including Seacliff Functions on at least three occasions.
He is also accused of trafficking an indictable species of fish related to the sale of eastern rock lobsters to Shellharbour Square Fish Market, Harbourside Fish Market and James Prodanovski.
The companies behind Shellharbour Square Fish Market and Harbourside Fish Market have not appeared in court on any charges.
Prodanovski has been charged with two offences related to the transaction.
All of the matters were adjourned until July 14.
