Victorian Fisheries cracks down on illegal seafood sales
Authorities in Victoria are warning recreational fishers against selling their catch to restaurants and fishmongers, after officers uncovered a stash of illegally sourced King George whiting fillets during an inspection on the Bellarine Peninsula, roughly 90km southwest of Melbourne.
The discovery highlights the scale of Australia's black-market seafood trade, estimated to be worth tens of millions of dollars annually, and comes as the Victorian Fisheries Authority renews calls for compliance across the hospitality sector.
Officers inspecting the Bellarine Peninsula restaurant asked the owner to produce receipts for seafood held on the premises, in line with regulations requiring proof-of-sale documentation for all stock.
While the owner initially presented seafood and paperwork for review, a follow-up inspection uncovered a quantity of King George whiting fillets concealed in a separate freezer, for which no receipts could be produced.
Further questioning revealed the fish had been supplied to the restaurant by a recreational fisher, which is illegal under Victorian law.
"Recreational fishers are reminded that the sale, which includes exchange or barter, of recreationally caught fish is illegal because it undermines legitimate commercial fishers, compromises sustainability, and poses public health risks to seafood consumers," the Victorian Fisheries Authority said.
As in NSW and other states, only licensed commercial fishers are permitted to sell their catch in Victoria. Restaurants and fishmongers that fail to maintain proof-of-sale documentation for seafood on their premises face penalties exceeding $24,000.
The Bellarine Peninsula case forms part of a broader national push to stamp out illegal seafood trading, with regulators in multiple states stepping up enforcement against black-market supply chains feeding into restaurants and retail outlets.
In NSW last month, two fishermen were fined $2,000 each after being caught illegally selling their catch online, following a tip-off to authorities.
The penalties followed a wider crackdown announced by the Minns Government targeting the illegal abalone and seafood trade across restaurants and other outlets in the state.
During a three-day blitz across Sydney in February, NSW Fisheries Officers and Food Authority Compliance Officers inspected 15 premises to check compliance with seafood sourcing rules. The operation focused on black-market abalone poached from fisheries on the NSW South Coast and sold to restaurants attempting to bypass the legal supply chain for profit.
Across seven of the inspected premises, officers seized a combined 15kg of abalone – a product that can retail for more than $1,000 per kilo when dried, underscoring the financial incentive driving the illicit trade.
Jonathan Jackson, 7th July 2026
