‘Recidivist’ one of two men fined for whitebaiting offences

A man previously convicted of illegal whitebaiting has been described as a ‘‘recidivist offender’’ by a judge.

Jarrod Nouata Shee, 27, was fined $1500 in the Nelson District Court on Wednesday on six charges of breaching the whitebait fishing regulations.

This included fishing within 20 metres of a tide gate, using more than one whitebait net at a time, failing to remain within 10 metres of a net, using fishing gear longer than 6m, and using gear that exceeded more than a third of an estuary. He pleaded guilty to the offending on two occasions by letter to the court.

Judge David Ruth said Shee had previously been fined $550 for contravening the whitebait fishing regulations at the same location, the Riwaka Drains, in 2017. He was also issued written warnings in 2014 and 2016.

Judge Ruth said Shee was a ‘‘recidivist offender’’ for whom convictions were not a deterrent.

Department of Conservation lawyer James Hardy said that last October 14, Shee was seen whitebaiting by a DOC ranger. He took his sock net out of the water to hide it, while covering his face.

Despite concealing his identity, Shee was known to the ranger due to his previous illegal activity. Shee told the ranger there was ‘‘no way’’ he was going to confiscate his fishing gear, as he would need it to get the money to pay a fine.

On November 4, a ranger patrolling the Riwaka Drains saw unattended fishing gear taking up more than a third of the waterway. As he approached it, Shee got out of his vehicle and told him, ‘‘There is no way you are going to take my net, I want to fish the tide’’. The ranger measured the fishing gear as being 9.3m long, 3.3m longer than allowed.

On both occasions, the ranger attempted to seize Shee’s fishing gear but decided not to over concerns that the situation would become volatile.

Judge Ruth said Shee’s stance showed a ‘‘concerning degree of aggression’’.

In another case on Wednesday, Luke William Dunnill Ryland, 24, was fined $600 after pleading guilty to four charges of breaching the whitebait fishing regulations in the same place.

On September 17, a DOC ranger patrolling the Riwaka Drains saw Ryland fishing within 5m of a tide gate, using two nets, failing to remain within 10m of one of the nets, and with gear that was 9.8m long.

The fishing gear was seized. In an interview, Ryland said he had recently returned from Australia and had forgotten some of the rules.

As well as the fine, Judge Ruth ordered that the seized whitebait net be forfeited.