AQWA: WA Police investigate after video shows teenagers fishing out of Hillarys aquarium
Two teenagers have been let off with a warning after they brazenly filmed themselves fishing at Perth’s largest aquarium.
A video posted to TikTok earlier this week — which has now been deleted — shows at least one person fishing out of an AQWA exhibit in Hillarys on Monday afternoon.
WA Police say the two people involved are believed to have trespassed before stealing “several fish from an exhibit pool” between 4.30 and 5pm.
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“The offenders were disturbed by a staff member and fled the scene,” a police spokesman said.
Later on Wednesday, police confirmed two teenagers were issued juvenile cautions over the offences of trespass and stealing.
The shocking video shows one person casting a fishing rod from a barrier near AQWA’s outdoor playground.
The video shows one person holding the fishing rod on a Transperth bus before the fishing commenced.
The original poster’s biography suggests one of the people involved was a male teenager.
AQWA General Manager Catherine Buckley said her “entire team” was “distressed” by the video.
“Our primary concern is the safety and wellbeing of the animals in our care and that of our many visitors,” Mrs Buckley said.
“Our goal is to educate and inspire the community on the wonders that inhabit our oceans and rivers.
“The entire team and I were very distressed by the vision and equally concerned for the safety and wellbeing of the individuals shown in the video.”
The aquarium said additional security measures had been taken after the incident.
“AQWA is aware of the recent video posted to TikTok showing individuals trespassing after hours in the aquarium and fishing in one of the exhibits,” a spokesman said.
“The video has been reported to TikTok and has been found to violate their community guidelines.”
“Western Australian police have been contacted and are pursuing the matter with our assistance.”
AQWA did not confirm what kind of marine life was in the exhibit at the time.
The TikTok video was met with a barrage of angry comments, which criticised the behaviour of the individuals.
AQWA exhibits Western Australian wildlife, including turtles, stingrays, fish, starfish and sharks.
The aquarium opened to the public in 1988 and has been a bustling tourist destination for holidaymakers in WA.
