KEY POINTS:
The jailing of a man for three years will send the message that paua poaching will not be tolerated, says the Ministry of Fisheries.
Keri Smith was handed down the sentence after being convicted in Lower Hutt District Court last week on 31 charges related to the theft or illegal dealing of black market paua.
Smith, who was also banned from fishing for three years, was among 71 people arrested and charged with a total of 283 offences in May last year after a major operation involving police and fisheries ministry officers.
The raids uncovered nine tonnes of paua, representing more than 36,000 individual fish.
The ministry described Smith, from Lower Hutt, as a "serial poacher".
Jarden Thompson was sentenced to four months home detention and banned from fishing for three years on two charges and Natasha Van Hout sentenced to six months imprisonment on six charges in the same court.
The ministry's national manager of fisheries compliance, Andrew Coleman, said the sentences sent "a clear message" that theft or dealing of black market paua was a serious offence.
Another 29 people are to appear in Lower Hutt District Court on September 12 to enter pleas.
The remaining defendants will appear in Auckland, Hastings, Lower Hutt and Wellington courts.
"We would like to thank again all those who ring our poaching hotline to report illegal activity," Mr Coleman said.
"The public are our eyes and ears along our extensive coastline and the information they supply enables us to catch, and punish, those who continue to poach."
- NZPA
