Global News - May 2008
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Australian police call for tougher penalties for abalone poachers
Thu 15 May 2008 14:15 UK — Australasia,Marine Wildlife
Experts have said anti-poaching laws in Australia need to be tightened to prevent organised gangs from depleting abalone stocks.
The local Magnet publication reported that police believe that penalties for poaching abalone in New South Wales (NSW) are not tough enough to effectively deter gangs from operating illegal fishing rings.
The calls came after two groups of suspected abalone poachers were caught last week. One gang were found with 641 shucked abalone, while the other was apprehended with over 200 of the shellfish.
Police said that some of the arrested men had a known history of abalone poaching, but that laws were not strict enough to deter them.
"Despite the best effort of the fisheries officers in NSW they're still just not able to address the scale of this crime in NSW," industry representative Duncan Worthington explained to the paper.
Sergeant Jim Hinckley of Eden Water Police added: "Abalone poaching involves a high value crop and what we've found over the years that there is an increased level of organisation in the collection and distribution of the product and it fits all the criteria of organised crime.
"I don't believe fines are an adequate deterrent due to the increased number of offences occurring."
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