Little sympathy for toheroa poachers

Some beg to differ, but toheroa and tuatua are not indistinguishable.

The two men who copped $500 fines from fisheries officers after they took 43 toheroa on 90 Mile Beach (Toheroa don't come cheap, October 3) did not receive a lot of sympathy from Northland Age Facebook readers.

Many felt the fines did not fit the crime, but a Kaitaia lawyer said he would hope that compliance officers used common sense, when toheroa were indistinguishable from tuatua.
"If not, give me a ring," he added.

Others were less charitable:

* Who's kidding who when fisheries inspectors say they can be mistaken for tuatua? Very easy to tell the difference.

* Not a big enough deterrent/fine for this delicacy ... I would pay $500 just to savour that taste again. But sadly it will only be a fond memory of our trips to our runoff on 90 Mile Beach where we had fun digging for toheroa for lunch and some to take home for dinner.

* Our children will have no future in enjoy our beautiful beaches (sic) if there is no shellfish or fish to see or to eat as we do. These people that are destroying our children's and their children's future should be ashamed.

* ... The fines need to be increased for all infringements.
* Should of given them to Te Rarawa to exact punishment.
* Wow $500 big deal! Should have confiscated the car as well.
* What a joke.