A Christchurch man has been placed on four months’ home detention for taking 486 pāua, which he intended to sell, from a marine reserve.

Bruce Honey Tata (48) was sentenced yesterday (May 12) on one charge under the Fisheries Act in the Hamilton District Court, following a successful prosecution by the Ministry for Primary Industries.

The sentence includes a condition that Mr Tata attend and complete an appropriate Tikanga programme or counselling to the satisfaction of a probation officer.

“Mr Tata and his son took 486 pāua from Hikurangi Marine Reserve, south of Kaikōura, where it is prohibited to take the shellfish, and 159 of these were undersize,” says Garreth Jay, Fisheries New Zealand’s Regional Manager South.

“He intended to sell the pāua, which is illegal. Fishery Officers have zero tolerance for this behaviour, which threatens the sustainability of this important shared resource.”

Mr Tata’s son, Biyhan Tata (26), was sentenced in March to five months’ community detention for his part in the offending, which was diving for the pāua.

The offending was uncovered when a Fishery Officer on patrol saw Bruce and Biyhan Tata at the Hikurangi Marine Reserve. The men hid a sack with pāua by a concrete sea barrier.

Fisheries New Zealand worked with police and stopped a vehicle Bruce Tata was in, recovering the sack containing the pāua.

“While Bruce Tata claimed the pāua was being gathered for a social event, we found electronic evidence of pāua sales. Neither of these men held a fishing permit to sell seafood,” Mr Jay says.

“When we have evidence of illegal fishing behaviour, we take action and will hold those responsible to account.

“We encourage people to report any suspected illegal activity through the Ministry for Primary Industries’ 0800 4 POACHER line (0800 476 224).”

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