Commercial fisherman fronts Albany court after being caught with net in the water during prohibited hours

A third-generation fisherman fronted court last week after authorities caught the 50-year-old with a fishing net in the Wilson Inlet on a public holiday. Shane Dee Smith was ordered to pay nearly $1900 in fines and court costs by Albany Magistrate Raelene Johnston last Thursday. The commercial fisherman pleaded guilty to contravening a provision of the South Coast Estuarine Fishery Management Plan. Public prosecutor Thea Chee, from the State Solicitor’s Office representing the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development, told the court Smith had his fishing gear in the water at midday on January 1 last year. Under the South Coast Estuarine Fishery Management Plan, commercial fishers are prohibited from having nets in local fisheries until an hour and a half before sunset on public holidays. Smith’s defence counsel Sonia Anderson described her client’s offence as a “technical breach”, arguing Smith was not fishing at the time but teaching his son a method of repairing the net. Ms Anderson said Smith accepted he should not have had his fishing gear in the water at the time. Albany-based DPIRD regional compliance manager Russell Adams said the plan was in place to manage local fish stocks. “The South Coast Estuarine Fishery is managed to limit the number of fishers who have access to the fishery,” he said “The legislation also limits the amount of equipment used and the hours that fishers can operate. “As well, there are size limits, which are all designed to ensure the fishery is sustainably managed. “Fish are one of WA’s most precious and valuable commercial and recreational resources. “The estuarine fisheries are a shared resource and, by preventing commercial fishers access during daylight hours and on public holidays, ensures there is less interaction between recreational and commercial fishers and more equitable fishing.”