Late June, DPI Fisheries officers seized eastern rock lobsters that were illegally taken from Long Reef Aquatic Reserve.
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Fisheries intercepted two men and seized three lobsters, one of which was a prohibited size and returned them to the water alive.
The pair, aged 18 and 19, admitted to diving for the crays at Long Reef but claimed they were unaware of the Reserve.
They were fined $1000 for breaching the aquatic reserve notification. One also received a formal caution notice for the prohibited size lobster; the other a formal caution for failing to pay the NSW recreational fishing fee.
Officers regularly patrol the Long Reef Aquatic Reserve and many other such havens - even during prevailing health restrictions - with an average of 230 inspections conducted annually at Long Reef alone.
The public are encouraged to report illegal fishing activity to the NSW Fishers Watch Phoneline on 1800 043 536 or via the online Report Illegal Activity form at https://fal.cn/3gJWh
