Abundance Of Kingy's

[Hounddog]

G'day all,

I have just been reading some recent posts from all the guys that have been in amongst the Sydney "Kingfest" at the moment. I agree its pretty disturbing to see the amount of undersized Kingy's taken onboard. Correct me if I am wrong but my understanding is the legal King is 650mm and a bag limit of 5 per person aboard. I have been out at least 8 times in the last 3 weeks and have only managed to bring home 7 legals and lost count of the amount of releases. I would like to know "WHY" the authorities are not checking catches,only licences. Are they hellbent on collecting revenue and don't give a stuff about educating people about our decreasing stocks for Rec fisherpeople. I have had to practice ignoring people I see taking undersized fish lateley as I have been taken to court twice now for getting involved with another boater taking undersized fish. It don't pay to confront these "unsavoury characters" because most of them are Xmas fishers and don't understand the rape and pillage they are causing. All I can say is until we can get the authorities to outlaw this practice thouroughly the money spent on cleaning up our waterways to bring back the marine life we once had is a complete waste of time and money.

Gees I feel better now for getting that off my chest. Anyway lets hear some feedback on this

Edited January 26, 2006 by Hounddog

[Guest fishrunner]

G'day Hounddog,

Legal size for kingies on 2005 and 2006 stickers are 600mm, 5 per person, I believe this is correct.

We wouldv'e released 10 kingies to get 3 for dinner, Haven't been checked by fisheries for a while now, but have been checked by waterpolice 3 times in 3 months and breathtested once.

None of these people asked to check my catch,( except for conversation).

I agree that there should be more checks on weekends,-more so whilst kingies are on.

cheers

[Mondo Rock]

Hounddog - without compromising your privacy are you able to give us any more details on how you ended up before court after confronting people taking undersize fish?

Were you there as a witness, or did someone actually bring an action against you?

I'm mostly interested because I don't want to end up in court either!!!!

Mondo

[Hounddog]

Hounddog - without compromising your privacy are you able to give us any more details on how you ended up before court after confronting people taking undersize fish?

Were you there as a witness, or did someone actually bring an action against you?

I'm mostly interested because I don't want to end up in court either!!!!

Mondo

hey Mondo, I would rather not say the details I have learnt to look the other way now when I see these unsavoury characters keeping everything they rape and pillage from the water.

[kikila]

I rang fisheries a while back inquiring about tags’ while taking to them I asked about people taking undersized kings & they assured me that if I saw someone taking undersized kings & I rang them giving the boats rego No' action would be taken.

[Evanwz]

I rang fisheries a while back inquiring about tags’ while taking to them I asked about people taking undersized kings & they assured me that if I saw someone taking undersized kings & I rang them giving the boats rego No' action would be taken.

Well I was out around the Sydney heads today and 2 Fisheries boats were doing the rounds - handing out fines, well at least some sort of paper work to people on boats fishing and also landbased anglers around Spit Bridge. Stopped and checked out our catch (I was on a mates boat) and checked Fishing Licences etc - lovely guys and great to see them on the water.

I suppose like some government department, they're low on resources and can't always be in the right place at the right time... one of the guys today was seconded from Fisheries at Bathurst to help out in Sydney.