following an incident under investigation by authorities involving four dead dugong found in Bowling Green Bay, south of Townsville, government authorities are concerned about illegal netting practices in north Queensland and are urging the public to report any suspected breach of fishing rules.

Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service, Queensland Boating and Fisheries Patrol and the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority (GBRMPA) are conducting regular patrols in the region, particularly around Townsville, to ensure compliance.

The dugong are believed to have died in a net and the incident was not reported to authorities. Instead an attempt was made to sink the dugong using ropes and make-shift anchors in a bid to conceal them from the authorities and the public.

QPWS Senior Director Terry Harper said investigators were looking into all avenues to find the culprits.

“Obviously what has occurred in Bowling Green Bay is just plain wrong and won’t be tolerated,” Mr Harper said.

“Incidents like this are rare – if people are fishing legally, the chance of by-catch is greatly reduced.

“By-catch can be a serious issue and there are a number of measures in place for fishers using nets to avoid dugong being tangled up and/or dying as a result.

“Under the Nature Conservation Act 1992, fishers must also immediately report any dugong deaths or serious injury to the Department of Environment and Resource Management. Failure to make a report carries fines of up to $12,000.

Mr Harper believes the incident has no connection to hunting by indigenous people in the region.

Fisheries Queensland, Managing Director Jim Groves said Fisheries Queensland, QPWS and GBRMPA were working together to investigate the incident.

“The Queensland Boating and Fisheries Patrol treated all suspected illegal fishing practices very seriously,” Mr Groves said.

“Unless you hold a commercial fishing licence or a general fisheries permit as issued to Indigenous fishers, all other use of commercial-sized fishing nets is illegal.

“The maximum penalty for illegally using a net is $100,000.

“Under current regulations, the length and mesh size of commercial nets are regulated to maximise the catch of target species and minimise by-catch.

“To further reduce non-target catch, changes to regulations were made last year to require fishers to be in attendance when they have nets in the water.

“One of the main reasons for this was to reduce the death of non-target catch, including dugong, as fishers could more quickly remove animals that are caught.

“Nets used by commercial fishers must also be clearly marked with the owner’s name or fishing symbols, while nets used by indigenous fishers must be marked with the owner’s name, address and permit number.

“This allows officers to identify gear and to determine if it is being used legally.

“On-the-spot fines of up to $1000 can be issued for unlawful use of a net, such as not marking the net or not being in attendance of the net.”

Photo courtesy DERM