Two Auckland couples have lost their cars and boat and been ordered to do a total of 1000 hours of community work for catching and then selling large quantities of fish in their neighbourhood.
Kolani Peni, 36, unemployed, of Papatoetoe; his wife, Anna Hana Peni Seiuli, 29, housewife;Tootoo Vaitoetau Sauleone, 32, unemployed, of Mangere; and his partner, Viena Meafou, 31, pleaded guilty in the Manukau District Court to a variety of offences under the Fisheries Act.
The court was told that between November 2005 and February 2006 Peni and Sauleone would set nets for grey mullet in the Port Waikato area using two 80m fishing nets (the maximum legal length for a recreational net is 60m).
They did this on average two to three times a week, returning to their South Auckland homes where the catch would be divided.
With their partners and children they would then drive slowly along neighbouring streets offering the fish for sale. When interviewed, the two couples admitted they often earned up to $1000 a week in this way.
Neither man had a licence to fish commercially nor was their boat a registered fishing vessel. Judge David Harvey said this was a clear case of serious black market activity or theft and that could not be tolerated.
He sentenced Peni to 300 hours' community work, Sauleone to 280 hours, and Seiuli and Meafiu to 250 hours.
Their two vehicles, boat, fishing nets and a fridge-freezer where the fish was stored were also forfeited to the Crown.
Ministry of Fisheries district compliance manager Ian Bright said the sentences sent a clear message that illegally catching and selling fish would not be tolerated.
