Signs that highlight DoC's war on poachers

By PHILIP ENGLISH

The Department of Conservation is stepping up efforts to protect marine life in two Auckland marine reserves.

In the past, people facing prosecution have got away with poaching after claiming they did not see signs pointing out they were in a marine reserve where damaging or taking marine life is banned.

But in at least two Auckland marine reserves, at Long Bay and at Pollen Island in the Waitemata Harbour, department staff are confident their new reserve signs will put an end to such excuses.

The department's compliance co-ordinator for Auckland, Richard Bray, said marine reserve legislation stated people could not take marine life from marine reserves without authority or reasonable excuse.

"As far as I am concerned this reasonable excuse thing about seeing a sign from a distance but not going up and reading it is starting to wear a bit thin."

He said signs at the Long Bay marine reserve, which was established in 1992, and at the Pollen Island marine reserve, established in 1995, indicated "at a glance" that all marine life inside the reserve was protected.

Signs displaying maps of the reserves were placed around the reserves and at boat launching ramps. At Long Bay yellow 2m buoys showed the seaward boundary of the reserve while on the shore large gold and green triangular signs showed the land boundary of the reserve.

The department is using a new inflatable patrol craft at Long Bay and Pollen Island to combat illegal fishing.

On Sunday night department marine reserve ranger Karl McLeod put to sea at Long Bay but in about two hours found nobody fishing illegally.

The occupants of one boat anchored within the reserve were not fishing but were not clear where the boundaries were.



Other boats outside the reserve contained fishermen who were aware of the reserve but were also not clear of its boundaries.

Two of them said fishing had improved since the reserve was established.

Mr Bray said that over the years rods, nets, dive knives and catch bags had been confiscated at Auckland reserves, which included the Goat Island marine reserve at Leigh.

He said the department was eliminating confusion over marine reserve signs nationally while emphasising that each marine reserve had greater stocks of one particular animal than others.

At Pollen Island the ban on netting was emphasised on local signs, at Long Bay shellfish were singled out and at Goat Island it was clear crayfish were protected.

The department can call on honorary rangers to help enforce reserve legislation. Penalties can range up to $10,000 or three months' jail.

Mr Bray described a recent fine of $200 for a man caught taking eels from the Pollen Island reserve as "disappointing."

Dob in poachers

The Department of Conservation wants to hear from the public about people who take or kill marine life in the marine reserves. Telephone (09) 307-9279.

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