Two fishers have each been fined $1,000 for breaching ‘no take’ rules in Northland’s Mimiwhangata and Rakaumangamanga (Cape Brett) Rāhui Tapu marine protection areas.
Group Manager – Biosecurity, Don Mckenzie says both incidents saw Northland Regional Council environmental monitoring officers obtain evidence of breach of the no-take rules (fish on a line) during scheduled surveillance.
The Mimiwhangata incident occurred on 18 February. The offender, from the Whangārei area, was fishing off Rimariki Island, bringing up a kahawhai when asked by a Council officer to reel in his line.
The Rakaumangamanga incident occurred during a night surveillance trip on 23 February. The offender – a recreational fisher from the Waikato staying on a launch – was caught in Maunganui Bay pulling up a large snapper on his line.
Mr Mckenzie says night surveillance and response trips were incorporated into Council’s surveillance schedule to avoid predictability in regulatory activity.
Five night surveillance trips occurred, with one response trip following a report from a member of the public.
“Council has undertaken 94 surveillance trips since October last year, approaching more than 246 vessels, resulting in the issue of 23 formal direction notices (essentially a ‘cease and desist’ order) and two infringement fines of $1000, both of which have been paid,” said Mr Mckenzie.
He said the no take rules came about after an Environment Court decision in 2023 directing the Council to implement the rules via its Regional Plan, as fishing was shown to have been causing significant disruption and deterioration to local marine ecosystems.
The public can report incidents of fishing within the Rāhui Tapu by filling in an online form via: www.nrc.govt.nz/rahuitapuform or by calling Council’s 24/7 incident hotline (0800) 504 639.
