Fishery officers were called in by Hawkes Bay police yesterday after they stopped a car with a big haul of pāua inside.
Fishery officers were called in by Hawkes Bay police yesterday after they stopped a car with a big haul of pāua inside.
Police stopped the car and established the 2 men inside had been diving. They were found with 353 pāua – most of it undersized.
"The 2 men are likely to face charges under the Fisheries Act. This was a lot of pāua, and it’s disappointing to find people blatantly breaking the rules," says Fisheries New Zealand district manager, fisheries compliance, Mike Sutton.
"The rules are there for a reason – to protect the sustainability of our shared fisheries. You can expect to see Fishery Officers inspecting catches and enforcing the rules throughout summer. We’re grateful to our colleagues at NZ Police for their quick action.
All the pāua will be returned to the ocean.
"If you’re going fishing today or throughout summer, the best thing to do is download the free NZ Fishing Rules mobile app. It’ll show you the rules in any area you intend to fish, as well as restrictions and closures," Mr Sutton said.
MPI encourages people to report suspected illegal activity through the ministry's 0800 4 POACHER number (0800 47 62 24)
For further information and general enquiries, call MPI on 0800 008 333 or email info@mpi.govt.nz
For media enquiries, contact the media team on 029 894 0328.
