16 November 2005

Lawyers Not Above The Law

New Zealand First says that the conviction of a solicitor for excess fishing, and the subsequent confiscation of his boat and dive equipment, sends an important message to poachers that this crime will not be tolerated.

“I congratulate the fisheries officers involved for their successful apprehension, and it is pleasing that the punishment on this occasion appears to fit the crime.

“It is always disappointing to learn that people are flagrantly ignoring legal and moral sanctions with regard to fishing, and are pillaging our fisheries resources with no regard for the sustainability of the resource.

“I hope that offenders will be deterred by this sentence, and by the threat of being caught. However, this is only possible if the chances of being caught are high, which in turn is contingent upon resources.

“Our fisheries officers are stretched to the limit, and need a lot more support to combat the increasingly sophisticated techniques that the criminals involved in this crime are using.

“As with all crime, the fisheries officers need help. I call on all New Zealanders to report any suspicious fishing activity that they may witness this summer while out enjoying our coastline. It’s time to name and shame the greedy criminals who are plundering the life out of our shore,” said Mr Paraone.

ENDS

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