Skipper fined $15k for illegal fish
The skipper of an Amaltal vessel has been fined $15,525 after he admitted fishing in a marine reserve.
Darryle Ray Saunders, 58, pleaded guilty to a charge of removing marine life from the Hikurangi Marine Reserve, off the coast of Kaiko¯ura, for commercial purposes last March.
A skipper for the deepwater division of Talley’s Group, Saunders case was heard in his absence in the Nelson District Court on Wednesday as he was at sea. It was adjourned for the $15,525 fine to be imposed at a date when he could be present.
Amaltal, which also faces a charge of removing marine life from the reserve for commercial purposes, has entered a not guilty plea. It will reappear in the Nelson District Court next month.
The Hikurangi Marine Reserve
covers 10,460 hectares, extends 23 kilometres off shore, and includes 1.95 kilometres of shoreline, and was established by the Kaiko¯ura Marine Management Act in 2014.
It encompasses the Kaiko¯ ura Canyon which has been called ‘‘the most biologically rich ocean habitat in the world’’ at depths of below 500m.
The court heard how Saunders was an experienced commercial fisherman who had gained most of his experience fishing off the east coast of the South Island near Kaiko¯ura. A summary of facts said the Amaltal Mariner, skippered by Saunders, left Nelson on March 12 last year and headed for the east coast to fish for orange roughy. On the morning of March 17, the vessel bottom trawled 300 metres inside the marine reserve for 10 to 12 minutes, covering a distance of between 1100 and 1400 metres.
The net was estimated to contain 104 kilograms of fish. It was processed and sold with the rest of the catch from the trip, with an estimated retail value of $489.58.
The offending was uncovered by the Ministry for Primary Industries as part of its geospatial position reporting (GPR).
Saunders had been cooperative and said he had no idea the marine reserve was there, as he didn’t expect it to exist so far from the coast.
The reserve was not marked on either of the vessel’s plotters, but was visible on a Land Information NZ paper chart onboard.