Woman, 52, who ran illegal flounder operation fined, has boat seized

Recreational fisher Patricia Townsend caught over 200 flounder in and around the Maketu area, before on-selling them for a profit. Photo / Supplied

An amateur Bay of Plenty fisher who caught and sold over 200 flounder for a profit has been fined and had her boat seized after fisheries officers pursued a prosecution.

Patricia Jean Townsend, 52, appeared before Tauranga District Court judge Thomas Ingram on Monday, after pleading guilty to a single Fisheries Act offence.

The offending occurred over an eleven-month period between January 2020 and February 2021. According to the summary of facts, Townsend would travel to the coastal settlement of Maketu and search for flounder in the shallow waters of Maketu Harbour.

Townsend would then onsell the flounder, typically for about $5 per fish. She had developed such a customer base, she would send text messages to prospective buyers informing them when she had a stock of the fish.

The Ministry for Primary Industries received a tip-off surrounding the illegal dealing and sent two Fisheries officers to investigate.

That investigation found Townsend had been selling the flounder for a period of 11 months and was caught using an aluminium dinghy and set net.

A public tip-off led fisheries officers to prosecute a woman running a casual flounder-dealing operation in the Bay of Plenty. Photo / NZME

Fisheries officers seized that day's haul of 33 fish, and laid charges in the Tauranga District Court.

Appearing for sentencing on Monday, Judge Ingram told Townsend that at the age of 52, a first conviction for a crime such as illegal flounder dealing was not something many would have expected.

"At your age and stage in life, it's a bit of a surprise to see you here. You haven't been before the court before, and at your age, it's not something anyone expected."

In total, Townsend was fined $2000 and ordered to pay $130 in court costs. She was also made to forfeit her dinghy, outboard motor and net.

In a statement to Open Justice, MPI Acting Regional Manager Fisheries Compliance Richard Ratapu said the sentence should send a strong message to others who might be tempted to sell recreationally caught fish.

"Flounder is a species that is susceptible to overfishing. Ms Townsend sold this fish to profit," he said.

"The rules are there for a reason – to protect the fishery so that generations of people can enjoy putting fresh kaimoana on the table."