Driver dies
One person has died following a crash at Tirohanga, between Tokoroa and Taupo in the Bay of Plenty, about 10.45am yesterday. The person was understood to be the sole occupant of the vehicle.
Protesters in court
A woman has admitted illegally boarding a ship as part of an organised protest against oil and gas exploration. On Thursday, Sarah Anne Yates pleaded guilty to charges of unlawfully getting on to a ship and wilful trespass in connection with the January 31 protest, which saw her and four other Greenpeace members break into Port Taranaki and illegally board The Mermaid Searcher. The ship was collecting supplies for the Amazon Warrior, a vessel carrying out seismic surveying off the Taranaki coast. Last week, Nick Hanafin pleaded guilty to charges of unlawfully getting on to a ship and wilful trespass, and Olga Darkadaki pleaded guilty to unlawfully getting on to a ship. The trio will be sentenced in the New Plymouth District Court on May 28. Eli Steentjes and Gina Mitchell, who are also facing charges connected to the protest, will re-appear on April 19.
Hit by car
A woman who was hit by a car in Mangere, south Auckland, about 7am on Thursday died in hospital about 12 hours later, police said.
Crayfish limits
Crayfish catch limits are being cut between Auckland and East Cape to bring up numbers of the ‘‘seriously depleted’’ species. Commercial and recreational rock lobster catches will be more than halved from April 1 in the Hauraki Gulf and Bay of Plenty. The recreational bag limit of six crayfish per person would be changed before October, said Fisheries Minister Stuart Nash. Crayfish catch limits have also been reduced in Otago, but have increased in Wellington, Hawke’s Bay, and the Southern fisheries area. The total crayfish take in the Hauraki Gulf and Bay of Plenty would be reduced from 416.5 tonnes to 173 tonnes in the next year. Commercial catches would be cut from 200 tonnes to 80 tonnes and the recreational allowance would drop from 140 tonnes to 34 tonnes. The Ma¯ori customary allowance of 16.5 tonnes would remain unchanged. Catch limits will be increased for two sea cucumber species off the east coast of the South Island, the Challenger Plateau and Nelson. More southern blue whiting can also be caught on the Bounty Platform to the south of New Zealand.
Two stabbings
One person is seriously hurt and another received moderate injuries after what is believed to be two separate stabbing incidents near Auckland’s waterfront on Thursday night. St John Ambulance said one stabbing incident was in Quay St, the other in Commerce St. Police said they received ‘‘numerous reports of disorder and fighting in downtown Auckland’’.