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Fisheries Minister Jim Anderton says the number of people breaking fishing laws is dropping but poaching is still a problem.
Mr Anderton said fishery officers inspected 20,000 recreational fishers and 1200 commercial fishers annually.
In the past financial year, officers had seized $4.63 million worth of boats, $113,000 worth of vehicles and other fishing gear from greedy recreational fishers, organised fish thieves and commercial fishers caught breaking the law.
"The deterrent effect that compliance officers are having is reflected in a substantial decrease in the number of infringement notices that fishery officers have had to hand out over the past five years.
"The number of prosecutions for more serious offending is also dropping."
Mr Anderton said poaching was still a problem and the Government aimed to completely disrupt the entire black market. "Organised gangs stealing paua and crayfish are of particular concern." Fishery officers would be on duty throughout the New Year holiday period.
- NZPA
