Five men from New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory have been apprehended in East Gippsland with an illegal haul of nearly 550 abalone allegedly taken from the Point Hicks Marine National Park.
Victorian Fisheries Authority (VFA) CEO Travis Dowling said Fisheries Officers and Victoria Police arrested the men in Cann River after intercepting their vehicle on Saturday.
"We're committed to protecting Victoria's valuable wild abalone stocks so they can be managed sustainably for future generations to enjoy," Mr Dowling said.
A search of the men's vehicle by Fisheries Officers located a large case allegedly containing 544 abalone, all but one of which had been removed from the shell.
The recreational daily bag limit is 5 abalone per person.
The search also allegedly found a quantity of dive gear, large backpacks and two mountain bikes, which were seized on the spot by Fisheries Officers, along with the men's Nissan vehicle and 127kg of abalone.
The men were charged with possessing a commercial quantity of abalone and taking fish from a protected area and were bailed to appear in court later this year.
Mr Dowling said Fisheries Officers would continue to tackle serious fisheries crime and highlevel abalone offending wherever it's occurring along the coast, from Mallacoota in the far east to Portland in the west.
"We will detect, disrupt and dismantle illegal fishing operations for abalone and other highvalue species, and move fisheries resources as required to target patrols and apprehend offenders," Mr Dowling said.
The VFA encourages anyone who sees or suspects illegal fishing to call our 13FISH (133474) line to speak directly to a Fisheries Officer. Callers can remain anonymous. Make the call and make the difference.
