From the Department of Primary Industries

Friday, October 10, 2008

FISHERIES VICTORIA CLOSE ILLEGAL ABALONE PROCESSING OPERATION

A 60 year old Braybrook man is facing a number of charges after search warrants were executed by Fisheries officers on five premises in Geelong and Melbourne, uncovering an alleged illegal abalone processing operation.

The searches were conducted by 20 Fisheries Officers, supported by Victoria Police.

Fisheries Victoria’s Chief Investigator, Murray Donaldson, said the evidence gathered pointed to large scale processing and trafficking of abalone.

“The primary alleged offender will be facing charges including unlicensed processing, receiving and consigning a priority species and exceeding possession and bag limits,” Mr Donaldson said.

“We found abalone in various forms including 100 boxes of processed cans, 50 boxes of vacuum sealed pouches and frozen abalone.

“There was also substantial evidence of other types of fish processing including sea urchins and shark fins.

“We have yet to tally and weigh the seized material but there is a lot of it and it seems it was destined for export or for the illegal domestic market.”

The man is to be charged on summons.

Since 2004 possession or trafficking of commercial quantities of priority species are indictable offences, attracting penalties up to 10 years’ imprisonment.

The licensed abalone fishery is highly regulated with strict audit trails that require “real time”
reporting of all abalone entering or leaving premises. This electronic audit system is
complemented with a paper trail from the diver to the consumer.

The Executive Director of Fisheries Victoria, Dr Peter Appleford, commended Fisheries staff and indicated that Fisheries Victoria, with interagency assistance when required, will continue
to dismantle this type of organised criminal activity that threatens the sustainability of the abalone fishery.

Members of the public who observe illegal fishing activity are urged to call the 24 hour reporting line, 13-FISH 13 3474 and leave details.