Minorities high among fisheries prosecutions

Asians, Maori and Pacific Islanders make up the ethnic groups most often prosecuted for fisheries offences, says National MP Phil Heatley.

"These figures seem to confirm what many suspected," said Mr Heatley, National's fisheries spokesman.

"While the Asian community makes up 7 per cent of the population, they are guilty of 15 per cent of fisheries prosecutions.

Maori, who make up around 15 per cent of the population, are behind 30 per cent of prosecutions while Pacific Islanders are the culprits in 11 per cent of cases while making up 7 per cent of the population."

Mr Heatley's figures, gained through written parliamentary questions, show that last year 46 Asians were prosecuted. That was a decrease on the 167 in 2003 and 67 in 2004.

Maori were involved in 93 prosecutions last year, compared with 88 in 2003 and 69 in 2004.

Pacific Islanders were prosecuted 33 times last year, against 55 in 2003 and 53 in 2004.

There were 27 Caucasians prosecuted last year, compared with 45 in 2003 and 35 in 2004.

The "not recorded" total was 113 last year, 298 in 2003 and 242 in 2004.

Mr Heatley's population percentage comparisons are based on last year's figures.

"Clearly, the rate of offending in these minority groups is far higher than it should be on a per capita basis," he said.

He called for more fisheries officers to be appointed to stop "the plunder of our coastal fisheries".

- NZPA