Two men accused of poaching trout from a stream near Lake Rotoiti have appeared in court.
Thomas Tawha, 41, of Kawerau and David Pake Leef, 35, of Te Teko, appeared before a registrar in the Rotorua District Court this morning.
Neither entered a plea and both were remanded on bail to reappear on August 12.
The charges were laid by Fish & Game New Zealand Eastern region, following an ongoing surveillance operation.
Tawha faces six charges - two each of being found without excuse on a private property at SH30 that displayed "no trespassing signage", disturbing the spawning ground of rainbow trout and possession of a net suitable for taking sports fish while in the vicinity of a tributary of Lake Rotoiti where rainbow trout were congregating. The offences were alleged to have occurred on June 25 and July 6 this year.
Leef faces three charges - disturbing the spawning ground of rainbow trout, possession of a net suitable for taking sports fish while in the vicinity of the tributary and taking rainbow fish from the stream with a net, all on July 6.
The unnamed tributary stream is closed to fishing at all times of the year as it is a known spawning area for trout.
When asked if he wished to enter a plea today, Tawha replied "It's not a guilty plea or a not guilty plea, what I am pleading is no jurisdiction".
The registrar told Tawha and Leef, who represented themselves, they did not have to enter a plea until their next appearance which will be before a judge.
The maximum penalty on each of the charges, apart from trespass, is two years' imprisonment, a $100,000 fine, or both.