Broome Pair Get Hefty Fine For Taking Sawfish

September 7, 2009

Release from: ABC News (Australia)

Two Broome men have been fined more than $3,500 each for illegally taking fish.

Leon Bin Omar and Baden Lloyd-Smith were among four men charged in April last year after fisheries officers investigated two commercial fishing camps at 80 Mile Beach.

In the Broome Magistrates Court last Friday, Bin Omar, 33, and Lloyd-Smith, 26, admitted taking three sawfish each.

Department of Fisheries regional manager Peter Godfrey says the bulk of the fines were mandatory.

"If people are convicted of possession of completely protected fish, or an excess bag limit of fish, then our mandatory penalties apply, and those penalties are 10 times the prescribed value of the fish," he said.

"So our more important fish stocks in Western Australia carry a higher penalty, and in the case of sawfish, that's $1,200 each."