Five face fish sale charges

Five people are facing charges for allegedly running a black market crayfish and kina operation from Northland.

Fishery officers swooped on the alleged operation in Auckland last Thursday after three weeks of surveillance.

The group had about 60 crayfish and several sacks containing hundreds of kina when the officers and police spoke to them, Ministry of Fisheries investigations manager Mark Nicholson said. The five were from Northland and Auckland.

Mr Nicholson said it was illegal to catch fish for sale without a permit.

The catch came from waters off Whangarei. Fishery officers seized four cars, a 4m boat and fishing gear.

- Northern Advocate