Fishing fine penalties

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Redaa

New member
Hi all. I'm looking for some advice

I went fishing a few weeks back and the inspector came around asking for license. My wife gave hers my brother gave his but when I checked my wallet mine was gone. I've misplaced it and can't find it. Went to the post office and emailed a few people in the department of fisheries but they don't keep a record.

I was told by the inspector that the fine would give me a criminal record and they wanted me to sign an admission of guilt which I didnt.

I would like to know if I get a criminal record of I do pay the fine or if it is the same as a traffic fine? Has anybody been through this situation. Will it appear on my record if I apply for jobs?
 
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Dr halibut hoffman

Moderator
http://www.sealine.co.za/view_topic.php?id=69177&forum_id=15

Apparently you can go back to the specific post office and check the receipts electronically and issue you a copy of the receipt. If they are not on strike!
 
R

Redaa

New member
I saw that post. I went back to the post office but they said if it's older than 3 months then they delete the record which is insane considering they need to run audits at least once a year. Thanks for the response.
 
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Mangrove Jack

New member
You should do what I do.....I take a photograph of the permits and of the receipt and keep it on my cell. I also make a copy of it and the receipt and keep it on file at home.

I have a wife and three kids who all like to fish, gets a bit costly....fortunately one of the kids is still too young to qualify for a permit.

This kind of thing just hacks me off. How can the post office just say that they keep a record for 3 months when it is a legal document that is valid for a year....next time the inspector asks tell him you only keep a record of it for 3 months just like his department.

What a load of BS...these guys just love going after the soft targets.....while they are too sh-t scared to go after the real problem!

They will come and search my boat and fine me if I have too many prawns in my bucket meanwhile 20 odd k's up the road there are a bunch of subsistance fishermen raping the Fish River and standing and selling grunter, steenbras and kob....undersized, oversized, too many etc etc at the side of the road to motorists driving past and in full view.

These guys sell there catches to the diner at the side of the road too. The other day I popped in there with my sons for fish and chips. The take away fish and chips was R40 but the sit down meal version was R75 so I asked them what the difference was. The waitress replied: "This is line fish and that is hake." I asked what type of line fish, she replied: "grunter and kob." I couldnt believe it. I will never put my foot in there again......the inspectors know about it and do nothing. The situation has been reported time and time again. When asked why they simply say that the fish sellers run away and that they are too scared to chase them! And if you and I run away...............
 
Marthin

Marthin

Sealiner
MJ, there is only a age restriction on crayfish licence (12 years), if your child is fishing he/she has to have a licence regardless of age.
 
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Mangrove Jack

New member
Well then all the officials are wrong!

They asked me at the post office how old my childred are I told them...couple of years back....and was told I only need a permit for the eldest. It was the same with the inspectors in 3 different locations.....Breede, Port Alfred and Transkei.....all told me that they didnt need one!

Who am I to argue....even here on this site it is, or was stated that kids under 12 dont need permits........
 
S

stormchild

Senior Member
In South Africa laws only apply to a selected few. If a fisheries officer approach you to view your permit, you have the right to ask him for his identification card. Whether he is there in his official clothing and vehicle, he MUST have his card with him. If he cannot display his ID card, tell him to buzz.off. You are entitled to refuse him access to your boat, car , bag etc. He MUST have it with him.
 
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Redaa

New member
Thanks everybody for your response. This country and legal system is messed up. I've been in and out of discussions with both the provincial and national department of fisheries and forestry and they don't have any systems in place to track fishing permits. They then told me that it sits with the post office and to contact them! Then why the hell do we have such departments. My best bet is to appear in court and plea with the judge and present my case I'd rather be sure that I don't get a criminal record than to believe anything the department saids about its the same as a traffic fine yet on the admission of guilt it clearly states that if I sign the doc it's as if I have appeared in court and I was convicted and I would have a criminal record. To go through this because Im human and make mistakes is ridiculous and to go through it for a recreational sport is crazy.
 
Marthin

Marthin

Sealiner
yep it's a deurmekaar storie... edward is 8 and has his licence and bait collecting licence. Imagine he does catch something substantial you want to keep and someone with a doff badge comes knocking.
 
L

Limpopoking

Sealiner
Laugh it off and if you get a summons, ask for forgiveness. All departments are in the most unbelievable state of chaos, I doubt you'll ever hear from them again, and if they do, ask for a copy of the fine :cool:

I like the idea of the pic on the fone though. Makes sense.
 
J

jb2

Sealiner
Redaa wrote:
Hi all. I'm looking for some advice

I went fishing a few weeks back and the inspector came around asking for license. My wife gave hers my brother gave his but when I checked my wallet mine was gone. I've misplaced it and can't find it. Went to the post office and emailed a few people in the department of fisheries but they don't keep a record.

I was told by the inspector that the fine would give me a criminal record and they wanted me to sign an admission of guilt which I didnt.

I would like to know if I get a criminal record of I do pay the fine or if it is the same as a traffic fine? Has anybody been through this situation. Will it appear on my record if I apply for jobs?
Click to expand...

Hi Redaa

A fishing fine is like a traffic fine and does not stay on a criminal record. (I think that you need to have your fingerprints taken for a fine to be permanent.)

Please let us know the name of the inspector who wrote the fine. There are two possible understandings of the inspector's approach.

Either he did not know his job and that is bad or worse yet he was just being a bully.
 
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Jo Jo

New member
Yip, its R250 for every fish you have without a permit, and they will charge you even more if it is also undersized or if you exceed your bag limit!  Eish!  I learned the hard way once, and today I see the importance.  Ask me no questions, and I tell you no lies......;)

You do not sign the fine they give you.  You just get your copy once its written out and then they take theirs to the police station for registration.  You then have an option to pay before a certain date, or you can go to court if you want to contest it and explain your side to the man with the black coat.  The moment you pay the fine, you admit your guilt bro, and you get a criminal record.  The fine they give you is even called a "admission of guilt fine"!  ::cop:
 
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Greatwhite

New member
This is what I do. since I have various tackle bags, my license is in one of them. this means that sometimes while fishing I may not have the tackle bag with the license in it. so what I do is this. my wallet is 99% of the time with me. when I buy my license at the post office, I ask the cashier to please print me a duplicate copy of the receipt. the receipt has all the details on there. I fold it and keep in my wallet. so if ever I am faced to produce my license, which may be in my other tackle bag, I can show them the copy of the receipt. My drivers license(in my wallet) will vouch for my ID no on the receipt. it saved me once. can save you too......
 
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