A calamari recreational fisherman who breached regulations for a third time has had his boat confiscated in court.

The Hillside man who took 23 calamari off Queenscliff and broke water safety regulations has been convicted, prohibited from fishing for six months, fined $1200 and had his boat and fishing equipment forfeited.

Victorian Fisheries Authority Director of Education and Enforcement, Ian Parks, said the Hillside man pleaded guilty in the Geelong Magistrates Court to taking more than the catch limit for calamari, speeding past another vessel and not wearing an approved life jacket when required.

Fisheries Officers observed the man in October 2019, take more than the calamari 10 per person per day catch limit.

"The man took a total of 23 calamari, two of which were returned to the water dead when a larger calamari was caught. This activity is known as 'high grading' and is not allowed," Mr Parks said.

"The man was under surveillance for the entire fishing session as part of Operation Focus.

"The court heard the man had two prior matters recorded for similar offending and on both occasions his boat had been seized but later returned by the court."

Mr Parks said repeatedly breaking fishing regulations showed a blatant disregard for the law and the importance of abiding by catch limits so everyone could enjoy sustainable fisheries for years to come.

In October 2019, a Camperdown-owned aluminium fishing boat seized as part of Victoria's largest-ever fisheries sting and sold for $127,500.

The 7.5-metre boat named Flaked Out was confiscated as part of the Victorian Fisheries Authority case against three Camperdown men.

The case was built around hundreds of hours of footage when the men made 36 trips out to sea between August 2016 and January 2018.

Camperdown fish and chip shop operators, Mustafa and Burhan Meric, caught, processed and then sold illegally the caught shark.

They paid off the $200,000 they paid for Flaked Out in just two years.

The Merics pleaded guilty in the Warrnambool Magistrates Court in February 2019 to a range of fisheries offences relating to taking fish valued at $50,000 on 34 fishing trips.

They were each jailed for three months, convicted and fined $9500 and their boat was confiscated.

They were also banned from fishing for 10 years.

In June that year Burhan Meric appealed against the severity of the jail term and had one month trimmed off his sentence.

Deckhand Wayne McLean was jailed for two months and fined $7500 after he went on 31 trips.

The three were also banned from fishing for 10 years.

In June Burhan Meric appealed against the severity of the jail term and had one month trimmed off his sentence.

A judge accepted the illegal fishing sting wasn't Burhan's enterprise, but his younger brother Mostafa's.

Magistrate Franz Holzer said the offences were motivated by self-interest and greed and a 12-minute video of the illegal activities was compelling.

Mr Holzer said fish were a fragile natural resource, with a limited life unless properly and responsibly managed through licensing and as fish and chip shop operators the Merics knew that more than anyone.

He said the offending was motivated by money and the Merics sidestepped statutory and licensing obligations in making 36 trips between August 2016 and January last year in Victorian and New South Wales waters.

Fisheries prosecutor John Livitsanos said it was Victoria's largest ever fisheries investigation, involving hundreds of hours of surveillance footage.

"It's by far the biggest take-for-sale case ever in Victoria," he said.

"We've never seen anything like this in terms of size, duration, quantity and objective gravity.

"You have the owners of a fish and chip shop illegally taking and processing fish for financial gain."

Mr Livitsanos said the operation involved the taking of hundreds of fish, mainly shark, over 16 months.

Undercover officers bought fish from the shop a number of times, once 40 fillets for about $150.

Mustafa Meric was described as the principal offender, McLean was the deck hand while Burhan Meric sold the fish through the shop he managed.

Such was the extent of the operations that Mustafa Meric considered buying a commercial fishing licence but said they were not for sale.

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