Noticing a vehicle parked in an unusual spot, a keen eyed Department of Conservation ranger stopped to take a look, resulting in one of the largest poaching apprehensions the Taupo Sport Fishery team has seen in recent years.
A group of four people poaching a small spawning stream using agill net, where they had caught 27 rainbow trout, including 8 ripe females.
"While it is satisfying that my team successfully apprehended these offenders it is really damaging for a small stream to be poached like this. Netting is indiscriminate, and can cause huge damage to the trout population of a stream if it goes on unchecked," Taupo Fishery manager Kim Alexander said.
"It's really disappointing to see locals wilfully damaging their own resources when it has been such a good fishing season. People should pick up a rod, buy a licence and get out fishing if they want some trout, rather than resorting to netting and other illegal methods."
The Taupo Fishery team has had an active year, having detected over 81 offences against the Conservation Act and the Taupo Fishery Regulations since July 2014.
The team has detected 30 more offences this year in comparison to the same period last year. Of these, 42 prosecutions have been undertaken over the year.
While the most recent apprehension was significant, the bulk of the offences detected are at the lesser end of fishery related offending, including possessing undersized fish and fishing in closed or restricted waters.
Ms Alexander said offending which negatively impacted the fishery was "hugely important to us as the fishery is a valued cultural, recreational and tourism resource".
