Two men to face court for illegal trout fishing

Two men aged 40 and 45, from Queanbeyan have had their fishing gear seized and will be prosecuted after been caught illegally fishing for trout in the Snowy Mountains.

The NSW Department of Primary Industries' Principal Manager, Regional Services, Mr Glenn Tritton said the men were caught on the night of 13 July with six large breeding trout near the Eucumbene River.

"The men will be summonsed to appear in local court to face charges of taking trout during the closed season and the unlawful use of net and torch to take trout," he said.

"The maximum penalty for these offences is a $22,000 fine and/or six months jail."

Fisheries Officers, using night vision equipment, observed the men using scoop nets and torches to catch trout in the Eucumbene River.

The scooping of trout is banned in NSW. Trout streams in the Snowy are closed from the end of the June long weekend to the start of the October long weekend to protect spawning fish. Extra protection is provided in the Thredbo and Eucumbene Rivers, as they are closed from 1 May to the end of the October long weekend.

"The NSW Government recognises the importance of trout to the Snowy regional economy and aims to ensure the fishery is managed in a sustainable way".

"The recreational fishing industry is worth $70 million per year to the Snowy Mountains economy and supports some 700 local jobs".

"During the closed breeding season, Fisheries Officers maintain a constant vigil to protect breeding trout to ensure that anglers have plenty of trout to catch into the future," Mr Tritton said.

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