Prodanovski was convicted of possessing illegally taken fish and possessing more than the legal amount but was acquitted of two more serious charges of trafficking in an indictable species and not obtaining records of acquired fish as a seller. 

The case is one of a several matters stemming from an investigation by NSW Fisheries in 2014 into allegations of overfishing of lobster by Wollongong fisherman Pasquale Brancatisano, who worked for Unanderra business Lochiel South Pty Ltd.

The charges against Prodanovski stemmed from allegations he purchased 100kg of lobster (123 lobsters) from Brancatisano on March 14, 2014 in circumstances where the lobsters were not properly tagged under the law. The court heard the tags on the lobsters were left untrimmed – allegedly at the hands of Brancatisano – meaning they could in effect be removed and reused.

The court heard Prodanovski did not look inside the lobster crates when picking up the merchandise, with Magistrate Geraldine Beattie saying as an experienced fish monger he should have, and had he done so, would have seen the untrimmed tags.

She found the 123 lobsters had been illegally fished, meaning Prodanovski’s possession of them, at more than 20 times the commercial limit of five, was serious.

She fined Prodanovski $40,000 in total and order he pay $10,000 to NSW Fisheries in legal costs.

It is understood Prodanovski will appeal the fines.

Court cases against Brancatisano, Lochiel South and others involved in the Fisheries investigation continue.