MILLION DOLLAR TRAWL

Illegal net find raises concern about attempts to rort fishing comp

AN illegal gill net found in Rapid Creek this week has again flared rumours of desperate and devious measures to land a Million Dollar Fish.

A police spokesman said there was no evidence to tie the find to the highly successful Million Dollar Fish competition, which began on October 1.

But rumours persist in already rumour-prone fishing circles that unscrupulous operators may be resorting to illegal measures to reel in a winner.

The NT News understands the chatter was at its loudest last year during season one.

However, Tourism NT domestic marketing director Suzanne Morgan said every fish caught in season one and two were found to have been caught appropriately.

“We are 100 per cent confident that all successfully tagged fish to date are legitimate and the terms and conditions of the competition are being adhered,” she said.

Amateur Fishermen’s As- sociation of the NT executive officer Tristan Sloan said gill nets, which are generally placed at creek mouths to snare fish as the tide runs out, usually create unmistakeable gill or scale damage.

Mr Sloan said the competition’s requirement for fishos to take three photos of their catch and send them to barra expert Bill Sawynok helped eliminate cheats.

While he had heard the same rumours as the other fishos, he believed would-be millionaires were doing the right thing.

Six barramundi worth $10,000 have been caught so far in season two. This means there are still 95 tagged fish out there, one of them worth $1 million.

The fish have been caught, tagged and released all over the Top End, including at both remote and popular spots.

Police received a complaint about the Rapid Creek gill net on Tuesday and removed it, but are yet to find the culprit.

A spokesman said police find such nets “from time to time” but had not found anyone using one to cheat either MDF season.

The Department of Primary Industry and Resources did not answer questions about whether its officers had come across gill nets in seasons one or two.

“DPIR encourage all members of the public to report suspicious activities by ringing the Fish Watch Hotline on 1800 891 136,” a spokeswoman said.

“DPIR urge all anglers to act responsibility when fishing, follow the fishing rules and regulations and know the limits.”

“We are 100 per cent confident that all tagged fish to date are legitimate “SUZANNE MORGAN