Ban breach offends

BY MATT BOWEN

Flouting bans by eating shellfish in the shallows is culturally offensive, irresponsible and illegal, says honorary fisheries officer Keith Ingram.

On Anniversary Weekend a group of about 30 people were caught doing just that at Cockle Bay.

There’s a seasonal ban in place from October to the end of April to prevent stocks being plundered to the point where they cannot recover.

Mr Ingram says poachers are working on the principle that because they don’t bring cockles out of the water they can’t be prosecuted.

But the offence is committed as soon as someone digs a mollusc up.

Mr Ingram, who’s part Maori, says it’s also offensive to iwi for two reasons.

"It’s not one of our customs. We protect and look after our shellfish beds.

"We always bring kaimoana to above the high tide line before we open it."

The second and more important reason is that they’re putting the "mother beds" at risk.

"All they do is slurp the seafood out of the shell and they don’t necessarily get it all, then they drop it."

Mr Ingram says the scraps encourage the growth of parasites and disease.

"We have enough problems with them getting on to the beds now and it’s the quickest way to introduce parasites to the bed.

"You’re giving them easy access and once they get established on those leftovers they start hitting the healthy specimens."

In a bid to encourage all New Zealanders to be "guardians of our seafood" fisheries officers have also been busy educating people about the closure.

Mr Ingram says it’s much better to have 300 beachgoers keeping an eye on the resource rather than constantly "throwing the book" at offenders.

Under the Fisheries Act breaches of bans designed to sustain stocks, such as the Cockle Bay closure, are deemed serious offending.

If prosecuted fines can be up to $100,000.

And the courts are now taking a harder line on breaches.

Mr Ingram says honorary fisheries officers are heartened that the Manukau District Court judges have taken a more "realistic" and "sterner" approach to offenders.

"Prosecution is the last thing we want to do but it’s something we have to do and the courts are now supporting us by ensuring the penalty fits the crime.

"It’s also disappointing to note that many of the offenders are from south Auckland communities."

A year-round shellfish ban at Duder Beach is still in place.

There are signs of recovery on the Cockle Bay beds, says Mr Ingram, but the seasonal closure will remain for the foreseeable future.

Report poachers to 0800 4 POACHER from 7am to 10pm.

- © Fairfax NZ News