A MAN told Joondalup Magistrates Court he took undersize and protected fish because he didn’t know what species they were and didn’t know the rules in WA.
Hoat Duy Le pleaded guilty on Friday to taking 18 undersize fish including eight pink snapper, eight silver bream and two skippy while fishing in waters off the coast of Perth’s northern suburbs.
Fisheries officers found the man with his catch about 8.15pm on June 11.
Get in front of tomorrow's news for FREE
Journalism for the curious Australian across politics, business, culture and opinion.
READ NOWSpeaking through an interpreter, Le told Magistrate Michelle Pontifex he didn’t know the name of the fish and was not aware there were restrictions on which ones he could take.
The average size of the pink snapper he took was 171mm, the tarwhine an average 199mm and skippy 224mm.
Pink snapper has a minimum size of 500mm, silver bream 250mm and skippy 250mm.
Ms Pontifex took into account he pleaded guilty at the first opportunity but criticised his behaviour.
“At least two of the types of fish were significantly undersized,” she said.
She fined him $800 plus a mandatory fine of more than $2000.
Le’s hearing was not the only undersize fish case heard that day.
Colin Tran, who did not appear in court, was also fined $800 plus the mandatory penalty for taking three undersize WA dhufish with an average size of 477mm.
The minimum size for dhufish is 500mm with a bag limit of one.
The Fisheries prosecutor said the man made no comment when picked up by officers about 4.45pm on June 10 at Mindarie Marina.
MORE: Fiona Stanley Hospital medical officer named WA Junior Doctor of the Year
