A MAN found fishing on the Parramatta River in Sydney who had not paid the Recreational Fishing Fee was issued a $200 penalty notice – he decided to have the matter heard in court.
Appearing in Liverpool Local Court recently, the man claimed he was being taught how to fish by his friends and had only been fishing for a few minutes before fisheries officers arrived.
The magistrate took his explanation into account and ruled that the offence was proven and dismissed the matter without conviction. The magistrate then ordered the man to pay professional costs to NSW DPI and court costs amounting to $5,000.
If the man had spent that $5,000 on 3-year Recreational Fishing Fee payments, he could have fished for over 170 years.
