Before the season even started a number of nets were seized from the same Porangahau river.
The law says whitebaiters must stay within 10m of their nets and fishing is permitted only from 5am to 8pm, or 6am-9pm once daylight saving begins in October. Nets must also adhere to laws which restrict their size and thickness.
People who had their nets confiscated did not usually collect them so most were auctioned off once the season had finished.
DoC operations manager Dave Carlton said most people were generally good when it came to the rules but some just chose not to care.
Despite greedy behaviour from some people, Mr Carlton said the season had been good.
"I've heard reports further up the coast it's been the best in decades," he said.
Hot spots in the Bay this year were Porangahau River, Tukituki River, Ngaruroro River and Mohaka and Wairoa River.
Napier man Campbell Roff, who first began whitebaiting as a child, said this year yields were around five pound this season while previous years two pounds had been the maximum. Despite numbers of whitebait usually only peaking around full and new moons, this year there was a continuous flow of fish throughout the entire season. The 43-year-old said a two-week period of heavy rain at the end of September kept him away from the river but he was able to return early October.
Overall, the whitebait population was declining nationally but, DoC and Hawke's Bay Regional Council had developed a plan to increase numbers in the region.
They had been working hard over the last few years to determine and fence off spawning areas so stock would not disrupt them. The plan had so far been effective and other regions were following suit.
Active police patrols were also in place to monitor people's whitebaiting methods and if the current plan remained in place future seasons should be just as plentiful. The maximum penalty for breaking whitebait laws is $5000.
