A group of fishermen have been caught with nearly five times the legal limit of snapper on the Firth of Thames.
The three men were apprehended by four Ministry for Primary Industries fishery officers on board the patrol boat Kaitiaki II near Kawakawa Bay on Wednesday.
The men were moored inside a mussel farm and had 99 snapper in their possession.
One was undersize, and officers also found one undersize kingfish in their catch.
The daily limit is seven snapper per person.
MPI says the men were likely to face prosecution and have had their boat seized.
MPI fish compliance district team leader Glen Blackwell says it's a large amount of snapper and the rules were there for a reason.
"To ensure sustainability of the fishing resources so that everyone can have the opportunity to put kaimoana on the table.
"These fishers had far more than their daily share."
-RNZ.
1 comment
BUGGER !!
Posted on 11-03-2021 20:46 | By The Caveman
Back in the 1960's there was NO limit on snapper, and at this time of the year (March/April /May) couple of hours fishing at the top end of the Tauranga harbour - on our "fishing spot" would provide 30/40 2.5/3.5kg fish. OH and we we did not keep all of it - we would provide FRESH fish to our WHOLE street - and their reaction to a couple of FRESH fish was amazing - the rest of the street did not have a boat to go fishing, but they really appreciated that we had given them FRESH fish !! OH and we would only go out twice or three times in the Autumn. AND then there was the trawlers that came into the harbour at night and scooped up everything in the harbour AND also outside the harbour !!
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