Pair took paua from signposted closed Kaikoura fishery

NELSON: Illegally collecting paua in the water off Kaikoura has cost two Nelson painters each more than $1600 in fines.

Neville Allistar Moka (39) pleaded guilty to one charge of fishing in an area closed under emergency measures, when he appeared in the Nelson District Court last week.

He collected paua in June last year in an area off the Kaikoura coast where the col lection of all shellfish was banned after the 2016 earthquake.

He was fined $1500 with $130 court costs.

Moka told Ministry for Primary Industries he did not know there was a ban.

‘‘That’s despite there being a prominent sign almost directly across the road from his accommodation,’’ MPI spokesman Howard Reid said.

‘‘The sign clearly stated that the fishery was closed — the sentencing judge found it difficult to accept Mr Moka’s explanation.’’

Another Nelson painter who was sharing accommodation with Moka, 49yearold Benjamin Beale, received the same punishment. Beale said he took the paua at night and did not see the sign.

Mr Reid said both Moka’s and Beale’s offending was very disappointing.

‘‘The Kaikoura earthquake had a devastating effect on the paua fishery, with tens of thousands of paua dying and large areas of productive habitat being lost.

‘‘The fishery still hasn’t recovered — in these circumstances, any harvest of paua has a huge negative impact on sustainability.’’ — NZN