FOR the first time in Queensland, DNA technology has been used to prosecute a commercial fisherman who illegally sold 783 kilograms of female mud crabs.
The man had initially claimed the catch was from the Northern Territory, where female crabs aren't protected by law.
But when scientists conducted DNA tests, the man's story fell over.
Northern Territory crabs have different DNA from crabs on the east coast, and the testing showed the crabs' genetic profile matched that of the east coast crabs.
Genetic typing in prosecutions has only recently been used by Fisheries Queensland and there are already more cases underway involving this type of evidence.
The commercial fisherman involved pleaded guilty in Gladstone Magistrates Court yesterday to the charges.
He was fined $45,000 and more than $7000 professional costs with his fishing license suspended for six months.
Premier Anna Bligh this morning congratulated the officers who worked on the case.
