Couple fined $7,000 after shock discovery in restaurant freezer

A shock discovery in a restaurant freezer has landed a couple in court where they were slapped with thousands of dollars in penalties. Pictures supplied to Yahoo News show the individually wrapped parcels, that were stored alongside takeaway containers of food, which were seized by fisheries authorities.

Inside each package was a single squid, with each separately covered in plastic after it was caught. The Victorian Fisheries Authority prosecuted the husband and wife fishing team for illegally selling large amounts of seafood to the restaurant in Melbourne's western suburbs.

While the couple aren’t suspected of exceeding catch limits, they were taking squid at Queenscliff, south of Melbourne, and Lakes Entrance, in eastern Victoria, under the guise of being recreational anglers.

But in Victoria it’s illegal for hobbyists to sell their catch, and the couple were caught selling squid on the street and to a restaurant. The VFA accused them of fishing frequently, catching and selling small amounts in an organised and calculated manner.

Fishing couple fined thousands of dollars over illegal fishing act

The pair, who are aged in their 60s, faced Sunshine Magistrates Court last week where the VFA alleged they worked to avoid detection.

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The couple were convicted and banned from fishing for five years. They were also fined $7,000, ordered to pay $5,000 costs, and their fishing gear and $1,370 in cash was forfeited.

“It’s a difficult crime to prevent given Australia’s large coastline and that is why general deterrence is a significant feature in sentencing,” Magistrate Kiel said during sentencing.

Anyone who sees illegal fishing in Victoria is urged to call the VFA’s reporting service on 133474.

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