Fishery officers approached them as they left the water and, on inspecting their permit, an over-write was identified which showed the size limit of paua to be collected had been altered from 125mm to 115mm in length, Mr Fordyce said.
When questioned, Bartlett told the officer the person who issued the permit had altered the size.
Once the seafood was counted there were 33 paua, consisting of 27 of permitted size and five between 115mm and 125mm, with one below 115mm. They were permitted to collect 60 paua.
Inquiries with the issuing kaitiaki found he had not amended the size, Mr Fordyce told the court.
A short time later, Bartlett and another man were found at a local campground with another 44 paua, 15 of which were undersized.
The officers also found three shopping bags, containing 4.2kg of chopped paua meat, he said.
In explanation, Bartlett told the officer he had changed the permit because he had taken small paua during his first dive, the court heard.
Judge Walsh told Bartlett the reason paua was limited was for sustainability of the resource. The pair had taken 50 more than permitted, as well as the undersize paua.
Defence lawyer Frank Minehan said his client had never offended in this way before.
Judge Walsh told Bartlett he had let the kaitiaki down, "bringing the system into disrepute" by altering the document.
"The purpose is to protect a very valuable resource to this country.
"You abused that privilege."
On the charge of taking more paua than permitted, Judge Walsh fined Bartlett $1000 plus $130 court costs and on the charge of altering the permit he fined him $500 plus $130 costs.
