The ministry said Tapsell secured customary authorisations for fictitious events which allowed him to take more than the daily limit.
Almost 1600 paua shells were recovered from his address. He is believed to have sold between 395kg and 526kg of paua meat.
Text message information showed Tapsell was selling his paua for $22-$25 a kilogram, netting the group a profit of between $9085 and $12098.
Ministry spokesman Murray Pridham said it was good to see the courts taking a strong stance.
"Black market dealings in paua are effectively theft of a national resource," he said.
"Poachers not only risk fish stocks but they are stealing from their communities and making it harder for compliant recreational fishers to enjoy fishing."
The national paua limit is 10 per person per day. Paua must be a minimum of 125 millimetres, except in some parts of Taranaki.
