Who was involved & where it happened

Two commercial fishers linked to a Commonwealth-regulated vessel fishing east of Wilsons Promontory (Vic) pleaded guilty in the Bairnsdale Magistrates’ Court on 5 December 2024 after one trip delivered 1,013 kg of snapper, >20× the permitted 50 kg trip limit for that zone. AFMA

What happened (facts & timeline)

• 31 July 2023: The vessel master caught, retained and landed 1,013 kg snapper from Commonwealth waters adjacent to Victoria where a 50 kg trip limit applies. AFMA
• AFMA investigated and charged both the master and the concession holder with offences under the Fisheries Management Act 1991 (Cth), referencing Fisheries Management Regulations 2019 (Part 7, Div 8, s49) obligations. AFMA
• 5 Dec 2024: Both were released on 18-month good-behaviour undertakings and ordered to pay court costs plus $5,000 each to a local charity. AFMA

The legal issues

• Trip limits as a sustainability lever: AFMA set the 50 kg trip limit (since 2011) in response to State concerns that Commonwealth operators could pressure Victorian snapper stocks. The limit reduces targeting by all methods. AFMA
• Offshore Constitutional Settlement (OCS): AFMA manages snapper in Commonwealth waters adjacent to Victoria under the OCS with the State—operators must navigate interlocking State/Commonwealth settings. AFMA
• Chain of liability: Both master and concession holder can face outcomes—compliance is not just the skipper’s problem. AFMA

Outcome & remedies

• Convictions with undertakings, cost orders, and charitable payments ($5,000 each). AFMA reiterated that breaches of limits risk prosecution and significant penalties. AFMA

How this could have been avoided

• Pre-trip planning: Lock in species-specific trip limits by area ahead of sailing; brief crew on retention prohibitions and bycatch handling (see Article 3). AFMA
• Live compliance checks: Use electronic logbooks and FishOnline/GoFish resources to track accumulating catch, and set hard stop points to avoid crossing the threshold. AFMA
• OCS literacy: Build a cheat-sheet that maps Commonwealth vs State rules by fishing ground—especially near jurisdictional seams like Wilsons Prom. AFMA

Lessons for the fleet

• Trip limits are not soft guidance. Courts treated a 20× exceedance as serious, even with no allegation of stock harm—because the rule protects the stock. AFMA
• Master + owner both exposed. Compliance systems must assign clear responsibilities and back them with dashboard-style monitoring as catch comes aboard. AFMA
• History matters. These settings have been in force for well over a decade; courts expect familiarity. AFMA
• Community benefit orders are common. Expect charitable payments and costs even where jail isn’t in play. AFMA

Practical compliance checklist (snapper/limits)

• Confirm trip limits for target and incidental species by zone before departure. AFMA
• Set in-haul tally alerts (e-log triggers) at 70% and 90% of limit; stop retain at 95% to avoid accidental overrun.
• Train deckies on sorting/returning procedures to reduce unintentional retention beyond limits.
• Keep evidence—GPS tracks, haul sheets, e-log entries—in sync; inconsistencies invite investigations.

Social media posts

• LinkedIn: Bairnsdale case: 1,013 kg snapper vs 50 kg trip limit = convictions, 18-month good behaviour, $10k in community payments. Know your limits—literally. #AFMA #Snapper #TripLimit #Compliance #WildCatch AFMA
• X: Trip limits bite. Go 20× over and you’ll feel it in court. #FisheriesLaw #Sustainability #CommercialFishing AFMA
• Facebook: OCS seams can be tricky—Commonwealth waters, Victorian stocks, one vessel, big exceedance. Brush up before you head east of the Prom. #OCS #AFMA #VicFisheries AFMA