Fisheries officers in NSW are demanding better protection against violent poachers.

Amid rising threats from illegal fishers and organised crime, officers are calling for capsicum spray and stab-proof vests to ensure their safety. 

Officers report dangerous encounters while safeguarding marine resources, with tensions escalating across oceans, rivers, and estuaries.

“People have driven cars at me, they become highly aggressive,” said Supervising Fisheries Officer Joe Wright.

The union for the workers says the lack of protection leaves officers “unsafe” and “operationally ineffective”. 

In one instance in Iluka, an officer monitoring a suspected illegal trawler was threatened with a timber club and pursued through town. The accused faces 13 criminal charges. 

Wright and other officers report similar violent threats, with many fearing they could be seriously harmed or killed on the job.

The illegal trade in high-value seafood, such as abalone, fuels this danger. 

Poachers can harvest hundreds of abalone within hours, contributing to an illegal market worth millions.

As of September, the Public Service Association (PSA), representing the officers, has refused to conduct night-time inspections of trawlers without police support. 

Inland operations after dark have also been halted due to safety concerns.

The NSW Department of Primary Industries (DPI) is rolling out upgraded body-worn cameras and trialling capsicum spray, though results have not been disclosed. 

The state insists safety protocols are in place and officers should retreat from dangerous situations.

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