Fish & Game welcomes hefty penalty for no licence fishing

Fish & Game has welcomed heavy penalties imposed on a Taupo angler for fishing without a licence in the Whakapapa River in the centre of the North Island.

Jerry Silva has appeared in the Taumurunui Court where he pleaded guilty to fishing the river at Owhango in May this year. He was fined $1300 including costs.

Fisheries Manager Auckland/Waikato Fish & Game, Ben Wilson, says it’s pleasing to see the courts recognise the importance of the case. He says that Taupo anglers need to be sent a strong message that their licence covers Lake Taupo and its rivers only – not other lakes and rivers in the North Island.

“Lake Taupo is a separate fishery run by DOC and to fish anywhere else requires a Fish & Game licence. Anglers should know this as a fact that’s made very clear by all concerned.”

Ben Wilson says that the Whakapa River has come under rapidly increasing pressure over recent years. “The bag limit was reduced for the 2010/11 fishing season in view of the skyrocketing usage that’s made it one of the most popular river fisheries in the Island.”

The bag limit was reduced from five trout to two.

ENDS

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