What A Waste

[tall_bearded01]

I’m sitting in the home office keying a few books and occasionally looking across to the boat ramp. Crabbing season is in full swing. The car park is full with the usual suspects of Asian and Middle Eastern appearance.

Then a couple of hours ago the Fisheries arrive. Now I been out a number of time in the last month looking for a feed only to throw back 19 out of every 20 as being undersized, whereas I see others come in with a tub-full.  Wonder who called them and recommended it might be worthwhile to come around and have look.

Time to set up a table and chair next to the front gate, grab a couple of beers and watch the fun.

Immediately they arrive all those who haven’t made it to ramp immediately turn around and go back out. Those already on the ramp start their cars and try to leave. Too late. Nobodies leaving until the catch has been inspect.

Thus fare well in excess of 300 undersized cabs seized and with expiation notices served.

Now the tide is rising, so the people still out there have two options. Tread water or dump their load of now dead undersized crabs and come in.

[channys_mum]

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@tall_bearded01 wrote:

I live on the eastern edge of St Vincent Gulf SA right across the road form the local boat ramp. So westerly aspect sea views from every west facing window and class sliding door.

Is there a beach there called Tiddy Widdy (makes me giggle) beach or am I way off.

[tall_bearded01]

Tiddy Widdy Beach is on the western side of the Gulf on the York Peninsula.  We are on the eastern side north of Adelaide

When we were looking to downsizing were consider a house there. Had distant sea views and cost $150,000 more than the one we eventually bought which was virtually on the water.

In fact waterside properties on the eastern side of the gulf, north of Adelaide, are very much under-priced but that won’t last long.

[aps1080]

go tazz

That might have been the case 10 years ago but they can and do now take car, boat, everything connected with the illegal fishing.

I believe Fisheries inspectors have more power than the police.

[tall_bearded01]

Not racist. A simple case of reporting a direct observation.

Around here if you're white and you get caught with undersized fish you get the book thrown at you. If you're non-white and get caught doing the same thing you get a warning.

Saw a lady at the St Kilda boat ramp get the book thrown at her because she had two crabs out of 30 which were fractionally undersize. Needless to say she was white. Yet I can’t recall the number of times – too many of them – where I’ve seen Vietnamese locals, some second generation Australians who suddenly can’t speak a word of English, when caught with a tub full of undersized crabs, given a measuring gauge and instructions on how to use it and then let off with a warning, only to find them the next day in the rubbish bin; if you have a gauge in your possession there is no excuse for having undersized crabs in your possession.

So why give them a warning. Was advised by one fisheries officer if they issue an on the spot fine, they simply contest it, and the get the case delayed until they can get in front of their magistrate of choice, who will reduce the fine significantly if not let them off with a warning. That is, when it comes to none whites, they have adopted a pretty much a why bother approach.

[aps1080]

tail

Yep, that's how Australia works in a lot of cases to do with a whole range of laws (and I'm not talking about the Police who have discretionary powers in some cases because I have been the beneficiary of those !)

[go-tazz]

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@aps1080 wrote:

go tazz

That might have been the case 10 years ago but they can and do now take car, boat, everything connected with the illegal fishing.

I believe Fisheries inspectors have more power than the police.

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Which is a great improvement as the fishing went downhill in Portland but it has picked back up in the last few

years.