Feel free to share your catch

HELP YOURSELF: Scallops harvested recreationally may not be sold, but anyone can eat them.

According to the Animal Products Act 1999, it is illegal to give away seafood that has been caught or harvested recreationally. The Ministry for Primary Industries has told the Northland Age, however, that that is not the case.

"There'd be rioting on the streets [and boat ramps] of Northland if we tried to stop people giving away fish," senior communications adviser Jim Flack said, although that is not what the Act's guidelines actually say.

The guidelines covering recreational catch activities, which describe recreational catch as 'the activity of killing, capturing, taking or harvesting and then processing a wild or game estate animal (including fish) for the use or consumption of the hunter, fisherman or other person,' state that recreational catch product can only be consumed or used personally by the hunter or catcher (including their family or household and members of the hunter/catcher's party.

Mr Flack said that restriction did not apply to fish, although seafood was governed by laws prohibiting its sale.

"You can give away your legally caught fish/shellfish providing you get nothing in return, otherwise it's deemed barter, and that falls under sale," he said.

"The fish you give away can't then be sold, ie you gift some fish to an event and they then sell it as a fundraiser."

The recreational regulations stipulated that only those who were actually fishing were entitled to a daily bag limit, however. Scallops were the only exception to that in Northland, a diver and up to two 'safety people' aboard the boat each being entitled to 20 per day.

"The difference between homekill mutton or whatever is the amount of processing involved, that, if not done properly and cleanly, can lead to an increased food safety risk," he added.

"The same amount of processing and potential for contamination does not exist with fish."