It was the early hours of the morning in October 2023, when SAPOL’s POLAIR team spotted an unusual sight.
Two men were carrying large backpacks along the popular coastal trail – enough to trigger the suspicions of our eyes in the sky.
Their hunch was right, and the seized backpacks were found to contain almost 600 illegally poached abalone, 553 of which were below the minimum size of 13cm.
The recreational bag limit for abalone in South Australia is five per person.
Both men, from Adelaide’s northern suburbs, admitted to using diving equipment such as wetsuits, catch bags and shucking tools to collect the abalone from the intertidal zone.
They pleaded guilty to possessing a commercial quantity of a priority species and taking undersized abalone.
The presiding Magistrate described the offending as serious and said the penalties must serve as a strong deterrent, before recording convictions, ordering the forfeiture of all abalone and diving equipment and banning the men from taking or possessing ab
alone, or using any related gear, for five years.
Additional penalties were imposed based on five times the commercial value of the catch, totalling $4604.60 for one offender and $4716.60 for the other.
They were also fined $100 each and ordered to pay prosecution costs and a victims of crime levy.
Director of Operations, Fisheries and Aquaculture at PIRSA, Matt Read, said this case was a reminder that illegal fishing would not go undetected.
"Our fisheries officers patrol regularly to enforce compliance and raise awareness," Mr Read said.
"Rules around abalone exist for a reason - to protect this high-value species and ensure its sustainability into the future.
"In this instance we must thank our colleagues at SAPOL for their quick action which significantly contributed to the successful outcome in this case."
In South Australia, abalone is classified as a priority species with strict bag, size and possession limits under the Fisheries Management Act 2007.
Illegal or suspicious fishing activity can be reported anonymously via the Recreational Fishing app or by calling Fishwatch on 1800 065 522.
For more information visit: Recreational Fishing - PIRSA
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