Wellington paua poacher jailed

A Wellington paua poacher, one of a group of nine caught last year, has been jailed for three years for his part in the operation.

The group was caught in September 2009 in a remote location called Rock Point on Wellington's west coast, three kilometres south of Titahi Bay.

Fisheries officers found 1182 paua in 10 white sacks hidden in various locations along the coast and in a camp set up by the group.

A total of 587 of the 700 paua in their shells were less than 125 millimetres in size, and 217 of the 482 shucked paua weighed less than 80 grams, so were deemed to have come from shells under 125 millimetres.

Tulo Tuala, Pele Lemalu and Kyle Marriott appeared for sentence in Wellington District Court today after being convicted in September.

Tuala, who had a number of previous convictions, was sentenced to three years' imprisonment. On a separate charge of obstructing fisheries officers he was convicted and discharged.

Lemalu received seven months' home detention, while Marriott was given 300 hours' community work.

The other six members of the group earlier pleaded guilty and received a variety of sentences, including two terms of imprisonment, one of community detention and three of home detention.

The catch limit for paua is 10 per person per day and the minimum size is 125 millimetres across the widest part of the shell. They must be landed in the shell and cannot be shucked at sea. The maximum number of paua people can have in their possession at any one time is 20, or a maximum shucked weight of 2.5 kilograms.

- NZPA