Two fined for paua offences

Press, 19 December 1989, Page 18

Two fined for paua offences

Three people caught taking undersized paua at Kaikoura in October might have claimed a customary Maori fishing right but had accepted a rahui (edict) from their tribe which restricted the taking of paua in the area, their counsel told the District Court at Christchurch yesterday. Sharon Maree Te Aho, aged 24, George Te Aho, aged 45, and John Korotipa Wakefield, aged 24, all pleaded guilty to charges under the amateur fishing regulations. Mr Rupert Glover appeared for the Te Ahos and Mr Wakefield, and Mr John Sandston for the Crown. Judge Holderness convicted and fined George Te Aho and Wakefield $4OO on the charge of taking undersized paua. For possessing more than the maximum allowed each was also fined $3OO. He discharged Sharon Te Aho without conviction because she was a beneficiary and had a young child, he said. Prosecuting, Mr Sandston said that on October 1 south of Kaikoura a fisheries

officer had seen a group picking up paua and placing them in a bag. He said the group of three was seen carrying the bag up to a car and putting it inn the trunk. The fisheries officer approached them near the car and found 44 undersized and 10 legal-sized paua in the bag. He said no claim to traditional Maori fishing rights had been made at the time.

Mr Glover said the group had considered relying on traditional Maori rights but accepted a rahui (edict) from the Ngai Tahu tribe on the taking of paua in the area. The rahui aimed to restrict the taking of paua to protect the resource. He said they accepted responsibility for their actions. Mr Sandston said at the time one of the group offered what amounted to a bribe, offering to swap “some tinnies” if the undersized shellfish were thrown back. He said of 54 taken, only 10 were of legal size, and the group were allowed to keep those.