Spate of fishing in marine reserves
Cantabrians have been caught fishing in Banks Peninsula marine reserves, blaming ignorance for their actions.
Since December, the Department of Conservation (DOC) and the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) have dealt with five cases of alleged illegal fishing in the Pohatu and Akaroa marine reserves. Four cases were in the first four days of January.
The penalties for fishing in a reserve are up to $10,000 in fines, three months in jail and the confiscation of boats and fishing equipment. DOC is currently considering whether to prosecute those recently caught allegedly fishing illegally. All of those caught were from Christchurch or South Canterbury.
DOC operations manager for Christchurch Andy Thompson said it was the responsibility of those fishing to know where the reserves boundaries were.
‘‘Ignorance of the marine reserves, as was claimed by some of those recently caught, is no excuse.’’
Thompson said taking any form of marine life from a reserve was prohibited and affected the marine environment’s recovery.
DOC would not say the number or type of marine life taken in the alleged breaches, nor the number of people involved before information was put before the court.
Thompson said DOC and MPI would take a ‘‘zero-tolerance approach to all offending’’.
‘‘We want people to enjoy Pohatu and Akaroa marine reserves and their amazing sea life and help us protect these places for the future.’’
Pohatu Marine Reserve (215 hectares) is at Pohatu/Flea Bay on the south-east side of Banks Peninsula and was established in 1999.
Akaroa Marine Reserve (475 hectares) lies at the head of Akaroa Harbour, and has been in place since 2014.