A three-month crackdown on rock lobster thieves resulting in seven boat seizures by Fisheries officers this season has led Fisheries Minister Joe Francis to rage at the "bastardry" of such offences.
Fisheries Minister Joe Francis warned on Monday this was just one of many severe potential penalties and that those people now faced the prospect of having their boats confiscated.
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They could also lose their vehicle and fishing equipment, and in the most serious cases, illegal fishing offences could result in penalties of up to $400,000 or four years' jail.
"Pulling rock lobster pots that aren't yours and stealing the catch is a low act. It's theft, and it's un-Australian," Mr Francis said.
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"An act of bastardry.
"Rec-fishermen are not stupid. The GPS doesn't lie, they know where they left their pots and if they have been pulled. Fisheries are out there looking and watching, using a lot of new technology, equipment and surveillance equipment.
"Fishing is expensive enough. Don't steal someone else's catch."
In late December, 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, with a 68-year-old Cooloongup man and a 44-year-old Barragup being investigated over the same matter.
Officers the same week seized a 6.4 metre cabin cruiser at Mindarie and are investigating five men.
Also in December, a Sinagra man had his 6.5m Assassin craft, worth more than $50,000, confiscated after allegedly interfering with others' pots.
Less than a fortnight later a fishing tinny was pulled from the water, its owner alleged to have interfered with pots off Rottnest.
These incidents followed two boats being seized from Mandurah and Rockingham in November and another at Point Peron in October after a fisherman, who suspected its owner of stealing his catch, rang the FishWatch hotline.
The Minister said the hundreds of thousands of recreational fishers who did the right thing were reaping the benefits of their licence fees, which raised about $7.7 million annually and were reinvested into initiatives such as an artificial reef off Rottnest Island.
Located six nautical miles south of the island and due to be completed early next week, the $853,000 reef consisted of two 12 metre-high steel modules designed to attract species such as pink snapper, yellowtail kingfish and samson fish.
Report suspected illegal fishing activity to FishWatch on 1800 815 507.