THE names and addresses of people poaching dugongs in the Far North and selling the meat have been given to the State Government and police by the State Opposition

It comes amid reports that a daily flight from the Torres Strait has been arriving in Cairns with packaged dugong meat .

The Cairns Post has also discovered that customers at an Innisfail hotel have allegedly been offered the illegal meat.
Opposition sustainability spokesman Glen Elmes said he would name and shame those involved in the black-market trade if the Government did not act.

He said, while traditional owners had permission to hunt dugongs, he had proof that some were breaking the law.
"To hunt the animals for traditional purposes is fine, but when you are poaching and onselling the meat for profit that is when it is against the law," Mr Elmes said.

He said he had the names and addresses of two suspects and had forwarded them to police and the Government.
Mr Elmes said a flight arrived at Cairns airport every day at 5pm from Horn Island with packaged dugong meat.
"This is not a secret in the north. I have asked for an urgent investigation," he said.

"If that is not forthcoming, I will use the opportunity at the next sitting of this parliament in February to name theindividuals."

Two customers at the Crown Hotel in Innisfail told The Cairns Post they were approached by strangers asking them if they would like to buy dugong and turtle meat.

One said he followed the pair to a vehicle outside the pub where he was offered bags of dugong meat that ranged in price from $30 to $40 while turtle meat was $25 a kilogram.

Hotel manager Peter O'Toole said he knew nothing about the illegal meat being offered for sale in his premises.
"No one has ever approached me," he said. "The thought of killing endangered animals for meat disgusts me and I will be more than happy to try to find the culprits on CCTV."

Sustainability Minister Kate Jones said: "I hope there is something substantial in the information provided, so if illegal activities have taken place they can be investigated and the offenders brought to justice."

Calls for a crackdown on illegal dugong killing in the Far North have been growing since the bodies of three of the endangered creatures were discovered near Cairns in April.

Should all dugong hunting be banned?

 

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