Men face charges over huge paua haul

File photo / NZ Herald

Four Kaikohe men are facing charges after taking more than 17 times the legal limit of paua - one of the biggest hauls in Northland in recent times.

Fisheries officers yesterday apprehended the group with 715 paua, all of which were undersized, at Takou Bay on Northland's east coast.

Ministry of Fisheries' Northland field operations manager Darren Edwards said it appeared the men's sole purpose was to take as much paua as they could carry.

The group had taken well over the daily limit of 10 per diver and the smallest measured 78mm, well under the minimum 125mm.

"This is one of the larger paua apprehensions in Northland in recent times and is of major concern to the ministry," Mr Edwards said.

"Our fisheries are coming under constant pressure and offending on this scale puts that much extra unnecessary stress on a finite resource."

Fisheries officers saw the group diving at a reef at the northern end of Takou Bay and apprehended them as they headed back to their car about 4km away.

Mr Edwards said Northland paua offending was usually confined to remote reefs along the west coast between Kawerua and Ahipara, but recent activity like this suggested there was more apparent offending on the east coast.

The men, aged between 18 and 39, would be charged under the Fisheries Act and face fines of up to $250,000, as well as possible confiscation of dive gear and a vehicle.