A fisheries patrol off Northland's coast has found five commercial vessels flouting the law.
Sixteen commercial vessels were boarded in the waters between Cape Maria Van Diemen on the west coast and the Hen and Chicken islands on the east during the latest Ministry of Fisheries and naval patrol.
Breaches of fisheries
regulations were detected on five of the commercial vessels inspected, authorities said.
The Ministry's Northland district manager Darren Edwards said commercial fishers had to adhere to regulations that required the recording of fish species, quantities caught and specific methods used to catch the fish.
When breaches are detected penalties can range from $400 to $250,000 and lead to the seizure and forfeiture of vessels and fish catches.
During the three-day operation, fisheries officers operated off the navy's Inshore Patrol Vessel (IPV) Rotoiti.
Mr Edwards said with the availability of the naval inshore patrol fleet, developed as part of Project Protector, the ministry had the ability to conduct regular inspections of the commercial fishing fleet. Officers can inspect all vessels operating in the exclusive economic zone, extending out to 200 nautical miles (370km) from the coast.
"The navy plays a vital role in assisting the Ministry of Fisheries in joint departmental patrols to ensure that fishers are adhering to regulations," Mr Edwards said.
"We will be out patrolling more and the onus is on the fishers that their books are up to speed."
