Repeat pāua poacher from Napier handed fishing ban

Kelly Makoare was found with 52 paua in his boat at Pourerere Beach in Central Hawkes Bay in February 2020. Photo / File

A Napier man has been handed a three-year fishing ban after being caught with more than five times the daily limit of pāua.

Kelly Horowai Makoare was found with 52 pāua in his boat at Pourerere Beach in Central Hawke's Bay in February following an inspection by Ministry for Primary Industries Fishery Officers.

The 57-year-old pleaded guilty to one charge under the Fisheries Act 1996 on Wednesday – his second conviction for taking excess pāua.

Under the Fisheries Act 1996, bans are mandatory for anyone who commits certain offences more than once within seven years.

MPI national manager fisheries compliance Steve Ham said the sentence sends a strong message of the "serious consequences" for those who break the rules in place to protect pāua.

"When someone takes more than their share they can ruin it for everyone," he said. "The rules are there for a reason - to help make sure we can all sustainably enjoy kaimoana.

"An application to vary or expunge this ban will be heard in September. MPI opposes this."

Lower Hutt man Ionatana Sasi was also given a three-year fishing ban after he was caught with 144 undersized pāua at Eastbourne near Burdan's Gate in Wellington.

It was the second time in four years the 51-year-old has been before the court for stealing pāua in this area.

When MPI fishery officers asked Sasi to come ashore, he dumped his catch bag in shallow water, which, after inspection, was found to contain 156 pāua – more than 15 times the legal limit.

Sasi said he intended to measure all the pāua and return the undersize shellfish back to the sea, but the court did not accept that explanation.

Along with the ban, Sasi had all his dive gear used in the fisheries offending forfeited to the Crown and was ordered to do 250 hours' community work.

MPI encourages people to report suspected illegal activity through the ministry's 0800 4 POACHER number (0800 47 62 24).