Scott Jeffrey Renton: Geraldton man $9000 out of pocket for illegally fishing abalone and sea urchin

A Geraldton man has been fined thousands of dollars after using a screw driver and a spanner to take more than 50 abalone and sea urchins from a prohibited abalone fishing area in Cape Burney. Scott Jeffrey Renton, 38, made no appearance at Geraldton Magistrates Court on Thursday, January 25 when he was found guilty of contravening an order, taking more than twice the daily limit of the category one fish, not having an abalone fishing licence and fishing for sea urchins out of season. He received a $9162 fine including prosecution costs. On October 19 last year, fisheries officers observed Renton fishing about 500m south of the Greenough River Mouth at Cape Burney. When he came ashore, he was found in possession of 56 abalone and 14 sea urchins. Renton admitted to fisheries officers he had been using a screwdriver and spanner while fishing, but he did not know the area was closed to fishing for Roe’s abalone and sea urchins. Fishing for abalone north of Moore River was banned more than 11 years ago after a marine heatwave wiped out 99 per cent of the Roe’s abalone population. In the West Coast Zone — between Busselton Jetty and the Greenough River Mouth — sea urchin fishing is only permitted four days a year. Sea urchin fishing is legal in the Northern Zone — which extends north of the Greenough River Mouth to the Northern Territory — from October 1 to May 15 with a daily bag limit of 20. During a formal interview, Renton told fisheries officers he did not know he had taken abalone. Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development regional compliance for the Mid West Mick Kelly said the penalties for these types of offences were significant and would be a deterrent to others who illegally fish for abalone or sea urchins. “The fisheries and marine officers have a big beat to cover in this region and ensuring that abalone are not taken remains very important for the long-term recovery of the Roe’s abalone fishery north of Moore River,” he said. “Our researchers have advised the Greenough River area needs to be protected because it hasn’t fully recovered from the devastating marine heatwave of 2011, when elevated sea temperatures severely depleted WA’s northern abalone stocks. “Since then, the coast between Moore River through to the Northern Territory border has been closed to abalone fishing until further notice.”