A commercial fisherman who repeatedly refused to co-operate with fishery officers has been banned from fishing, in all its forms, for three years.
Larry Grigson, 53, cannot fish from a boat, a beach or a ramp, dive for scallops or crayfish or gather any shellfish or other seafood,
even if it is solely for his own use.
The Papakura man was also fined $3000 after being convicted at Manukau District Court of failing to comply with fisheries requirements. It was his third fisheries-related conviction.
Grigson's company, Seafood Express, ran a stall at a Panmure market which had been visited by fishery officers for a routine inspection.
"During that inspection, fishery officers found that there was no documentation on hand to show that the fish had been legally caught and reported," said Ian Bright, Ministry of Fisheries compliance manager.
"Fishery officers then tried on several occasions to meet with Grigson to inspect this documentation but he regularly refused to meet."
Mr Bright said if Grigson breached the ban, he faced a maximum jail term of 12 months and a fine of up to $100,000.
The ban was a severe but appropriate punishment, he said. Grigson's behaviour had been against the spirit and letter of the law.
"The on-going success of the quota management system relies on commercial fishers and fish sellers keeping up-to-date, accurate records ... and making these available to us to check. Grigson deliberately made it impossible for us to check whether his fish had been legally caught or was being legally sold."
- NZPA
