[PlayDoh]

Unjust fines? If you don’t realize your fault in this, you deserve to have your license revolked. Seriously, give your head a shake. You went out fishing knowing you couldn’t tag them, and as stated, kept retaining fish without tagging. Your at fault plain and simple.
I will say the fines are a bit steep, yet if they weren’t people would be risking the tickets everyday.
Don’t expect to spin some story on a judge. They’ve heard them all and will likely cut you off and increase your fines and punishment. For gods sake don’t bring your kids to court, I don’t even think their allowed.
If your honestly going to struggle with paying the fines, go to court and plead guilty. Be a man about it, and tell the truth. If your lucky you Might catch a bit of a break. Again, don’t try and make comparisons to labour laws or whatever.

I’ve seen zip-ties used, yet the leader idea sounds much better. Even plain fishing line with the knot in the sticker would have been a decent attempt. Yet knowing you were going fishing and didn’t have wires, and didn’t even attempt to make your own, makes me suspect you knew the whole time you were in the wrong and the chances those fish would have met a frying pan tag free are decent. I don’t know you, so don’t take it personally. Your labour law circle logic was a red flag IMO.