Poachers nabbed

Four men have been apprehended over serious alleged paua offences.

On January 27, Rawene police stopped a vehicle in Opononi that was found to contain 134 undersize paua. The driver, a 37-year-old Hokianga man, was spoken to and his vehicle and dive gear were seized by the Ministry of Fisheries.

The following day, three men were apprehended by fishery officers at Waimamaku with 219 undersize paua. Their vehicle and dive gear were also seized and they face court action.

"Offending on this scale is viewed as serious," said Ministry of Fisheries Northland field operations manager Darren Edwards.

"Those caught can face fines of up to $250,000 and the loss of vehicles and any property used in the offending.

"These sorts of people continue to show a total disregard for the fisheries regulations and the sustainability of the local paua fishery."

The limit for paua is 10 per fisher per day, with a minimum size of 125 millimetres. To report suspicious activity to the ministry phone 0800 4 POACHER (0800-426-224). The public are encouraged to report any suspicious activity to the Ministry of Fisheries on freephone 0800 4 POACHER (0800 426 224).

- © Fairfax NZ News