A spearfisherman's mood quickly turned sour after learning he could face a hefty fine due to his catch. Apparently, he caught a protected species off the coast of Cronulla in Sydney's south.
Spearfisherman Caught a Blue Groper
A female local caught a picture of the fisherman's catch after witnessing the incident earlier this week while fishing with her son at Hungry Point.
She snapped a picture without realizing what the man had killed at the moment. When she discovered it was a blue groper, a protected species, she went back and informed him that he might be fined up to $22,000.
The man stopped whooping after that and took off rather quickly, News.com.au reported.
Hungry Point is located at the Port Hacking entrance, a no-spearfishing zone. However, it is unclear exactly where the fish was speared.
The resident suggested that signs be put up at Hungry Point to remind spearfishermen who don't know or need to be reminded what they are legally allowed to kill and not kill.
Sadly, for this gentle giant, it would be too late. Unfortunately, no fishing license officers were there, the resident added.
The New South Wales Department of Primary Industries emphasized that spearfishing and commercial fishing are prohibited on blue groupers.
In NSW, gropers can only be taken via line legitimately. Additionally, a bag limit of two fish (with only one exceeding 60 cm) and a minimum size limit of 30 cm apply to recreational anglers.
For violating these rules, such as taking a groper using a means other than a line or handline, possessing an item that is banned in size, or taking more bags than allowed, there is a $500 on-the-spot fine per offense.
For a first offense involving size and bag restrictions, the maximum penalties by way of court prosecution for an individual are $22,000 and six months in jail and $11,000 for taking a groper illegally.
The Department of Primary Industries spokeswoman stated that all recreational fishermen must be informed about the laws and guidelines relevant to the species they are pursuing because the penalty for breaking them can be severe.
The photo of the man holding the giant blue groper also sparked outrage online, Yahoo! News reported. One netizen reportedly said he looked smug.
Another online user called the man a "jerk" who makes her sick. The online users urged the officials to find the man and fine him.
What Are Blue Gropers
Large, slow-growing blue gropers are well-known among snorkelers and divers for their outgoing personalities and lengthy lifespans. The eastern blue groper (Achoerodus viridis) and western blue groper (Achoerodus gouldii) are two endemic blue groper species to Australia, according to the Australian Marine Conservation Society.
Blue gropers are a crucial species for preserving the equilibrium in their ecosystem because they regulate the populations of other animals like crabs and sea urchins.
The main threats to blue gropers come from fishing and resource extraction from the water. While the Western Blue Groper is considered vulnerable, the Eastern Blue Groper is classified as Near Threatened.
Spearfishers used to kill a lot of eastern blue groper in the past. To safeguard the species, spearfishing was outlawed in the waters of New South Wales in 1969.
Eastern groper sales were prohibited in 1980 due to concerns regarding the significant catches made by commercial fishermen. Since 1974, fishermen have been authorized to fish for the species within stringent bag restrictions to stabilize its population.
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