Two fishermen could be facing nearly a million dollars in fines and imprisonment after they were caught with hundreds of illegally caught abalone.
It's part of the continuing crackdown on illegal fishing which has now seen seven boats seized by fisheries officers.
The two 27-year-olds, from Busselton and Dunsborough, were caught after a fishing trip off the coast north of Margaret River.
They were returning to their vehicle when they were confronted by Fisheries officers who found they had 405 abalone over the daily limit.
That is considered a "trafficable amount" and can result in fines of $400,000 per person.
Fisheries compliance manager Steve Embling said the abalone were found when the Fisheries staff searched the men's vehicle.
"They told the Fisheries officers they had dived and caught the abalone and also claimed the abalone were for personal consumption," he said.
"In the southern zone fishery (south of Busselton jetty) licensed recreational abalone fishers are limited to a maximum of 20 Roe's abalone per day per fisher."
Meanwhile two more cray fishermen have lost their boats this week as Fisheries officers investigate allegations that some fishermen are interfering with other people's lobster pots.
On Wednesday a 66-year-old Safety Bay man had his catch and his 5.6 metre boat seized by officers at the Bent Street Ramp in Safety Bay over alleged lobster pot interference. A 68-year-old Cooloongup man and a 44-year-old Barragup are being investigated over the same matter.
On Friday officers seized a 6.4 metre cabin cruiser at Mindarie - again over alleged illegal interference with lobster pots. Five men are being investigated.
Other fishermen are facing prosecution over out-of-season marron fishing. The marron season is not due to start until Sunday January 8.
"Earlier this week a Kelmscott man was found with 13 marron at Wellington Dam and a Collie man was caught using illegal traps to take marron from the Collie River," said Steve Embling.
Also this week two Bunbury men were caught at a road-side check near the Harvey Dam despite driving off from fisheries officers and dumping their catch.
"We saw them pull a u-turn and drive round a bend then heard the car doors opening and slamming shut so it wasn't too hard for us to find the marron dumped in the bush," said Mr Embling.
Twenty-one protected and under size marron were found.
Guidelines available at www.fish.wa.gov.au point out that interfering with another person's fishing gear or catch, selling recreational fish or other similar offences can result in penalties of up to $400,000, imprisonment for four years and loss of boats, vehicles and equipment.
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