THE conviction of a Chinese national for possession of excessive numbers of recreational and illegal species has brought police closer to cracking an illegal fishing syndicate operating in Zululand.
Bang-you Yang (34) of Newcastle was slapped with a hefty R200 000 fine at the Empangeni Magistrate’s Court on Friday for unlawful possession of undersized fish over the bag limit without proper documentation as well as being found in possession of illegal species.
This included 4100 prawns, 502 Spotted grunter, 40 Natal stumpnose, 210 crabs, three Square-tail kob, 12 mullet, four squid, two pompano, three Black kingklips, 37 slimy and 20 nondi.
Yang was further given a R100 000 fine suspended for five years and escaped six month’s jail time by subsequently paying the fine.
He was initially denied bail and was held between 4 and 19 June at the Empangeni SAP holding cells.
Following a tip-off from the community, Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife together with Richards Bay Organised Crime Unit and Empangeni SAP arrested the man on 4 June after it became known he was travelling every Thursday to eMpembeni to collect fish from local community members.
The vehicle was intercepted at the Matshana turn-off on the R34 where the man was taken to the Empangeni SAP for his vehicle to be searched.
He was subsequently arrested and his vehicle impounded.
Community members in eMpembeni have indicated that the fish are purchased from Hluhluwe.
Police and environmental authorities are following up on new leads and hope to make further breakthroughs to crack the syndicate.
