Three people caught poaching rainbow trout from a Rotorua spawning stream on Friday could each face up to a year in prison.
The trio, a man and a woman, both aged 17, and 40-year-old man, were allegedly caught with 25 dead rainbow trout and a net by Fish and Game officers carrying out checks at the stream on Friday.
Fish and Game officer Anthony van Dorp said today that inquiries were still continuing but the poachers could face up to up to a year in prison and fines up to $10,000.
He said that poaching the spawning grounds could have a serious impact on trout fisheries in the long term,
"It is vital that people keep out of spawning streams, and leave trout alone to spawn undisturbed, as the long term viability and success of trout fisheries depends on this."
