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Poached paua seized

PA Nelson Fisheries officers seized 113 kg of poached paua from a commercial fishing boat at Havelock on Tuesday. The haul, valued at $2400, was evidence that the Nelson-Marlborugh area was a hotbed of paua poaching — an illicit trade estimated at $3.5 million a year. A MAFFish senior fisheries surveillance officer at Nelson, Mr Robert Bull, said a 5.3 m commercial fishing boat had been confiscated and charges were pending against the skipper. The paua find followed a routine

landing inspection at Havelock wharf. "We found about 51kg of undersized paua and a thorough examination of the vessel revealed 62kg of shucked paua in a concealed compartment on the boat.” Mr Bull said the skipper had a commercial paua quota. His legal catch was not confiscated but the undersized and shelled paua were impounded at MAF’s Port Nelson base. Paua is not permitted to be shelled at sea under fisheries regulations. “This apprehension is significant in that the vessel had a purpose-built compartment. Its only possible purpose was to conceal unlawfully taken fish.”

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Permanent link to this item

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19890601.2.37

Bibliographic details

Press, 1 June 1989, Page 4

Word Count
176

Poached paua seized Press, 1 June 1989, Page 4

Poached paua seized Press, 1 June 1989, Page 4