Crayfish illegally sold on website

A Whangarei couple used someone else's name to advertise their crayfish on Facebook. File photo / NZ Herald

A Northland couple employed modern technology and a false identity to sell crayfish illegally on the internet.

Whangarei couple Leslie and Molly Taka, aged 46 and 42 respectively, used someone else's name to advertise their crayfish catch on Facebook.

That was until officials also used modern technology to track down the illegal transactions.

The couple appeared in the Whangarei District Court on Monday charged with selling fish not recorded or reported in accordance with the Fisheries Act. They pleaded guilty and were each fined $1000.

Only registered commercial fishers, licensed fish receivers or dealers in fish, such as fish shops, can sell fish, including crayfish.

Breaking the law carries a maximum fine of $250,000 and forfeiture of any property or equipment used.

On December 31 last year officials were tipped off about a person selling crayfish on a Facebook group "Buy Sell Swaps Whangarei".

The seller was sent a message and a deal was made to pay $25 for a crayfish, to be picked up from a house in Tikipunga.

During January officials were made aware of three other online sales of crayfish and seafood by the same person.

A plain-clothes fishery officer went to the house and did a deal with Mr Taka to buy a freshly cooked cray for $50 on January 18, 2013.

Mrs Taka handed over the crayfish. Later that day fishery officers went to the house and the illegal online selling was exposed.

Ministry for Primary Industries Northland compliance manager Darren Edwards said recreational caught crayfish had allegedly been offered for sale on the social media site for $20 to $30.

"The main reason for this is to ensure that all commercial activity is captured at the point of extraction - the commercial fisher - and recorded into the quota management system," Mr Edwards said.