FED: Crackdown on illegal prawn trawlers in reef marine park

AAP General News (Australia)
01-13-1999
FED: Crackdown on illegal prawn trawlers in reef marine park

By Rosemary Desmond

BRISBANE, Jan 13 AAP - The federal government today warned prawn trawlers operating
illegally in the World Heritage-listed Great Barrier Reef Marine Park to keep out or risk a $1
million fine.

Federal Environment Minister Senator Robert Hill said not enough had been done to catch
illegal fishers and even when one operator was successfully prosecuted last year, the fine was
only $1,000, a quarter of the value of the illegal prawn catch on the boat.

"That simply does not operate as a disincentive," Senator …