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The report outlined one case where extensive
records seized during raids of an illegal processing factory in the
state of Victoria indicated one man had processed and consigned 9.8
tonnes of abalone with a wholesale value of AUD 1.35 million between
1997 and 1998.
While the South Australian abalone
industry and State Government don’t know of any crime gangs operating in
the region, officials did acknowledge the constant threat of poaching as
evidenced by the latest arrest.
A 28-year-old man from the small West
Coast town of Port Kenny was charged last week with various abalone
offences after he was allegedly found in possession of more than 143
kilograms of abalone worth more than AUD 18,000.
Some of the 1,000 abalone that were
tracked from South Australia to Queensland were under the legal size
limit set by the Government.
The arrest was the result of a joint
undercover operation between fisheries officers, an interstate fisheries
agency and South Australian police.
State Fisheries officers say the sparsely
populated and rugged coastline is extremely difficult to police, and the
department relies heavily on locals to report any suspicious activity.
Abalone industry spokesman Michael Tokley
said there was evidence to suggest the poaching and distribution of
illegal product was becoming more sophisticated, but he had not heard of
any organised gangs operating in South Australia.
"We’ve got a copy of the report and it
does concern us," Mr Tokley said.
"If this is left unchecked it has the
chance of decimating the stock."
While Mr Tokley praised the ongoing
efforts of the state’s fisheries officers, he said more resources were
needed to protect the vast expanses of the West Coast.
Along with more funding for policing,
another idea was building up a DNA database so abalone from specific
regions could be tracked, he said.
According to the crime report, Australia
now produces about one-third of the global wild abalone harvest, with
national export earnings from fresh, chilled and frozen abalone rising
from AUD 86.7 million during 1999-2000.
Australia’s stake in the global supply
has increased following the decline or disappearance of abalone
populations in other parts of the world – including Japan, Mexico, South
Africa and the United States – due to environmental conditions, limited
stocks, illegal fishing and poor fisheries management.
 FIS.com
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