Big brother has been watching fishers in Rotorua in an innovative campaign to stop poachers.
Eastern Fish and Game manager Steve Smith said the trout fishing season which opened today will be a bumper one due to the reduction of poaching.
Mr Smith said there had been a marked decrease in poachers since hidden cameras were installed on the banks of streams flowing into the lakes two years ago.
"A lot of the poaching was opportunists but it was still very damaging because they were taking spawning fish. Those fish are very important in the Rotorua lakes because of the limited amount of spawning that is available," he said.
Film of poachers was taken to police or locals to identify offenders who would then face a maximum penalty of a $5000 fine and up to a year's imprisonment.
Many poachers were caught when the cameras were first installed but there had been fewer since word about the cameras had got out, Mr Smith said.
The public's attitude had also changed towards accepting poachers, he said.
Meanwhile, Mr Smith said there were many smiles on the faces of fishermen on the lakes this morning, in spite of conditions not being the best for fishing.
- DAILY POST (ROTORUA)
Trout season opens strongly thanks to video surveillance
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