A Greenfields pair have been ordered to pay more than $2000 each after catching undersized blue manna crabs at Coodanup Reserve.
Tiffany Fredrieka Moorcock, 48, and Duncan Leo Moorcock, 41, both pleaded guilty in the Mandurah Magistrates Court on Friday to being in possession of undersized crabs and failing to supply fisheries officers with information.
Department of Fisheries prosecutor Michael Nicholas told the court the duo were fishing for crabs about 5.20pm on March 31, 2018.
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Mr Moorcock was carrying a wire crab scoop with a clear plastic container tied to him and Ms Moorcock was carrying a home-made crab scoop.
Mr Nicholas said both Mr and Ms Moorcock put crabs into the container, without measuring them.
A fisheries officer seized the crabs and measured them finding 15 of the 17 crabs caught were less than the legal minimum size of 127 millimetres.
The crabs ranged from 88 to 126 millimetres, with an average size of 112 millimetres.
Mr Nicholas said the pair provided incorrect dates of birth to the officers and were unable to be contacted following the incident. The pair were located 11 weeks later.
Magistrate Anne Longden told the court the pair were of prior good character and agreed to grant them spent convictions.
The pair were each fined $1600, with an additional $750 penalty and $205.30 costs.
Carla Hildebrandt
Journalist at the Mandurah Mail
Journalist at the Mandurah Mail
