Fisheries and police patrolling together this holiday weekend

Fishery officers and police will be checking recreational catches and water safety of those on the water, Ministry for Primary Industries district compliance manager in Northland Steve Rudsdale said.

Seafood poachers and those who breach water safety rules will be under the spotlight in the Bay of Islands this Labour Weekend, with police and fisheries officers patrolling the sea together.

Fishery officers and police will be checking recreational catches and water safety of those on the water, Ministry for Primary Industries district compliance manager in Northland Steve Rudsdale said.

Mr Rudsdale said Labour Weekend was the first opportunity for a lot of people to get the boat in the water after winter.

"We'll be doing joint patrols with police on all three days on the MPI patrol boat and an 11m police Rib from Auckland. Fishery officers' main focus will be snapper and scallops. Seven snapper per person per day at a minimum size of 30cm (is the limit)," he said.

"We're reminding divers to count and check the size of scallops on the bottom and recheck back on the boat. Divers can take a bag limit of 20 scallops for themselves, and further bag limit for two safety people on board."

He said officers would also be checking that no one was fishing in the rahui area at Deepwater Cove where the Navy frigate Canterbury was scuttled in 2007.

"Police will be checking vessel and diver safety measures and that all vessels are generally fit for purpose," Mr Rudsdale said.

Other MPI staff and honorary fishery officers would be doing land-based patrols at fishing hotspots across Northland and Mr Rudsdale said it was every fishers' obligation to check the rules and stick to them. "Check the rules before you go fishing, and catch a feed, not a fine. If you stick to the rules, there'll be enough fish for everyone and our fish stocks will remain sustainable and protected."

People can report any suspicious fishing activity to 0800 4 POACHER (0800 476 224).