268Illegal use of apparatus

### 268 Illegal use of apparatus > > (1)  [*\[Section 268 Subsection (1) amended by No. 42 of 1998, s. 27, Applied:18 Dec 1998\]*](/view/html/inforce/1998-12-18/act-1998-042#GS27@EN) [*\[Section 268 Subsection (1) amended by No. 45 of 1997, s. 50, Applied:13 Nov 1997\]*](/view/html/inforce/1997-11-13/act-1997-045#GS50@Hpa@EN) [*\[Section 268 Subsection (1) amended by No. 45 of 1997, s. 50, Applied:13 Nov 1997\]*](/view/html/inforce/1997-11-13/act-1997-045#GS50@Hpb@EN) [*\[Section 268 Subsection (1) substituted by No. 7 of 2007, s. 77, Applied:30 Apr 2007\]*](/view/html/inforce/2007-04-30/act-2007-007#GS77@Hpa@EN) On a finding of guilt for an apparatus offence committed entirely or partially in a special protected area, a court must impose a special penalty equal to – > > > > > > (a) 2 penalty units for each rock lobster pot used or possessed in the commission of the offence; and > > > > > > > (b) 2 penalty units for each 50 metres of net used or possessed in the commission of the offence. > > > (1A)  [*\[Section 268 Subsection (1A) inserted by No. 7 of 2007, s. 77, Applied:30 Apr 2007\]*](/view/html/inforce/2007-04-30/act-2007-007#GS77@Hpa@EN) On a finding of guilt for an apparatus offence committed entirely in an area that is not a special protected area, a court must impose a special penalty equal to 2 penalty units for – > > > > > > (a) each unauthorised rock lobster pot used or possessed in the commission of the offence; and > > > > > > > (b) each 50 metres of unauthorised net used or possessed in the commission of the offence; and > > > > > > > (c) each unauthorised prescribed apparatus used or possessed in the commission of the offence. > > > (2)  [*\[Section 268 Subsection (2) amended by No. 45 of 1997, s. 50, Applied:13 Nov 1997\]*](/view/html/inforce/1997-11-13/act-1997-045#GS50@Hpc@EN) A court must not reduce or suspend a special penalty for any reason. > > > (3)  [*\[Section 268 Subsection (3) inserted by No. 7 of 2007, s. 77, Applied:30 Apr 2007\]*](/view/html/inforce/2007-04-30/act-2007-007#GS77@Hpb@EN) In this section – > > > > > ***apparatus offence*** means an offence under this Act or rules or regulations made under this Act relating to the use or possession of apparatus; > > > > > ***protected area*** means – > > > > > > > > (a) a marine resources protected area; or > > > > > > > > > (b) reserved land under the [Nature Conservation Act 2002](/view/html/inforce/2026-04-12/act-2002-063) ; or > > > > > > > > > (c) a prescribed area of State waters; > > > > > ***special protected area***, in relation to an apparatus offence, means a protected area in which – > > > > > > > > (a) fishing of any kind is unlawful; or > > > > > > > > > (b) fishing that is ordinarily carried out by means of apparatus of the kind used or possessed in connection with the offence is unlawful; > > > > > ***unauthorised***, in relation to the use or possession of apparatus, means use or possession that is not sanctioned by an authorisation.