Poaching pastor menaces fishery patrol with oar

Pastor Laulelei Tapui remonstrates angrily with a fishery officer.

Fishery officers trying to stop poaching in the Hauraki Gulf were confronted by an oar-wielding church minister trying to protect his catch of undersized snapper.

In the exchange, caught on tape, officers tussled with the Otara Church of God pastor and an associate, who fled, throwing their fish overboard one by one, after they had spilled out of a duffel bag split open in a tug-of-war with the officers.

Pastor Laulelei Tapui was fined $2000 in the Manukau District Court this week, and will face disciplinary action by his church, the Assembly of God.

When caught last December 18, Tapui and two other men in the boat had about 100 snapper on board. The limit is nine each.

The fish, some undersized, were wrapped in plastic, indicating that they were destined for the black market, said Ministry of Fisheries compliance manager Matt Cowan.

Tapui and two others were fishing in a 4.8m fibreglass boat between Pakatoa and Rotoroa Islands on December 18 at 8.30pm.

Two fishery officers being filmed by TV One's Coastwatch pulled up beside their boat and were told by the men that they did not speak English, but understood the fishing regulations.

The men presented a chilly bin with the legal number of fish of the correct size, but the officers were suspicious of a duffel bag at the front of the boat. They went to investigate and found it full of snapper.

Tapui raised an oar above his head, threatening the officers, while another man on board, Kata Finau, tried to throw the bag overboard.

A fishery officer grabbed the other end and a "tug of war" began with the pastor grabbing the officer's arm in an attempt to stop him taking the bag, which tore apart, spilling dozens of snapper.

The trio started their boat and a low-speed chase started. The officers waited for the men to come ashore, where they were arrested.

Judge Heather Simpson said Tapui's excuse had been that he was fishing to supplement his income and family, but the legal limit would have been enough to do that.

Tapui was ordered to pay $2260 fines and costs and his boat was forfeited to the Crown. Finau was fined $3500.

 

The general secretary of the Assemblies of God of New Zealand, Pastor Neil Hetrick, said Tapui, who was in his 50s, was likely to be stood down and could lose his job.