Hawkes Bay Today
  • Hawke's Bay Today home
  • Latest news
  • Sport
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Property
  • Video
  • Death notices
  • Classifieds

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • On The Up
  • Sport
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Residential property listings
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology

Locations

  • Napier
  • Hastings
  • Havelock North
  • Central Hawke's Bay
  • Tararua

Media

  • Video
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-Editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

Weather

  • Napier
  • Hastings
  • Dannevirke
  • Gisborne

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / Hawkes Bay Today

Nearly 500 poached paua dumped at Hawke's Bay beach

Victoria White
Reporter·Hawkes Bay Today·
19 Feb, 2018 05:30 AM2 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save
    Share this article
MPI are investigating a haul of dumped paua found at Blackhead Beach in Central Hawke's Bay. Photo/File

MPI are investigating a haul of dumped paua found at Blackhead Beach in Central Hawke's Bay. Photo/File

A Central Hawke's Bay beach has been struck once again by poachers - who are alleged to have seized nearly 500 of the shellfish.

On Friday, police informed the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) about a haul of dumped paua at Blackhead Beach, near Porangahau.

An MPI spokesperson said its fishery officers had taken possession of three sacks with a total of 485 paua. All but two were undersized.

The limit for paua is 10 per person with a minimum size of 125mm.

The blue line on the scale shows the 125mm minimum size for paua.
The blue line on the scale shows the 125mm minimum size for paua.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

The spokesperson said a vehicle was seized and a number of people have been spoken to, but that inquiries were continuing.

The officer in charge could not be reached for comment yesterday. A police spokesman said MPI were the lead party on this matter.

The coastal area near Porangahau is often targeted by such illegal activity.

Waipukurau sergeant Ross Gilbert said there had been a number of poaching incidents in this area in recent months, and "unfortunately it is a relatively common occurrence".

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

"We do get a lot of people poaching out on the coast of Central Hawke's Bay, far more than we, or MAFS, or the locals would like to see."

When asked why he thought that area was popular with poachers, he said there was a good fishery, and high stock levels there: "It's probably one of the healthiest fisheries in Hawke's Bay for paua".

Aside from a small settlement near the beach, the area was also relatively isolated.

In October, four men were caught at Parimahu (Black Head Pt) with 366 paua. All but two were undersized - with one measuring just 45mm.

Late last year there was a sharp increase in alleged poaching incidents at the nearby Te Angiangi Marine Reserve - between Blackhead and Aramoana - with the Department of Conservation apprehending seven people in as many weeks for suspected illegal fishing inside the reserve.

Maximum penalties for unlawful hunting under the Wild Animal Control Act were fines of up to $100,000 plus up to two years in prison.

Police warned that hunting-related items including firearms, knives, dogs, GPS units and vehicles could also be seized and forfeited

Save
    Share this article

Latest from Hawkes Bay Today

Hawkes Bay Today

New home for rare skinks taking shape on Napier’s Marine Parade

08 Jan 12:06 AM
Hawkes Bay Today

'Extreme fire danger' as 37C scorcher looms, alerts issued for hot spots

07 Jan 10:16 PM
Hawkes Bay Today

Swimmers urged to check rivers for toxic algae risk this week

07 Jan 09:44 PM

Sponsored

The Bay’s secret advantage

07 Dec 09:54 PM
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from Hawkes Bay Today

New home for rare skinks taking shape on Napier’s Marine Parade
Hawkes Bay Today

New home for rare skinks taking shape on Napier’s Marine Parade

Fewer than 10 skinks have been found, though up to 100 may live on the coast.

08 Jan 12:06 AM
'Extreme fire danger' as 37C scorcher looms, alerts issued for hot spots
Hawkes Bay Today

'Extreme fire danger' as 37C scorcher looms, alerts issued for hot spots

07 Jan 10:16 PM
Swimmers urged to check rivers for toxic algae risk this week
Hawkes Bay Today

Swimmers urged to check rivers for toxic algae risk this week

07 Jan 09:44 PM


The Bay’s secret advantage
Sponsored

The Bay’s secret advantage

07 Dec 09:54 PM
NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • Hawke's Bay Today e-edition
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Subscribe to the Hawke's Bay Today
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • NZME Events
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • © Copyright 2026 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP