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Two East Coast beneficiaries have lost their boat and fishing gear and copped fines of nearly $4000 for pillaging crayfish from an isolated bay.
The couple, Harry Junior Sadlier, 32, and Joanne Robina Birch, 31, both from Anaura Bay, about 80km north of Gisborne, pleaded not guilty to charges of taking excess and undersize crayfish last year.
It was revealed in Gisborne District Court today the pair took 93 crayfish, 84 of which were undersize.
The daily recreational bag limit for crayfish is six per person per day.
Sadlier, the primary offender, was convicted and fined $3000, while Birch was convicted and fined $750.
The couple's 4.2m aluminium dinghy, 40 horsepower motor and the fishing gear seized with it was ordered forfeit today by Judge James Rota.
Ministry of Fisheries East Coast compliance officer Neville Buckley said the sentencing ended an operation that saw two other people convicted and sentenced for receiving the crayfish Sadlier and Birch had taken from Anaura Bay.
Those two people gave evidence against Sadlier and Birch in regard to the transaction.
- NZPA
