The Rees Hotel, Queenstown has been fined more than $20,000 after including freshly caught crayfish as part of a guest dining experience.
The Rees Hotel, Queenstown has been fined more than $20,000 after including freshly caught crayfish as part of a guest dining experience.
A luxury Queenstown hotel has been fined $22,000 for illegally selling recreationally caught crayfish and failing to keep records.
The Rees Hotel offered a premium excursion to guests called The Rees Ultimate Heli Crayfish dining experience, which included the illegal sale of recreationally caught crayfish.
Guests were invoicedbetween $4650 and $7750 for the day.
The luxury package offered a helicopter flight to a remote location, where a diver would catch crayfish, followed by a return to the hotel for a three-course meal featuring the freshly caught crayfish.
The Rees Management Limited, which trades as The Rees Hotel was sentenced in the Queenstown District Court yesterday for charges under the Fisheries Act 1996 and Fisheries (Recordkeeping) Regulations 1990 following a successful prosecution by the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI).
Under the Fisheries Act, a commercial fishing permit is required to take any fish for sale.
Garreth Jay, Fisheries New Zealand regional manager South, said any use of seafood as part of a business’ commercial activities was considered a sale under the Act.
“The rules are there for a reason – to safeguard the resource for current and future generations, protect the integrity of the fisheries management system, and ensure a level playing field for businesses using seafood as part of their commercial activities.
“Where we find evidence of people breaking the rules we will investigate and take appropriate action.
“In this case it is our view the offending persisted despite clear advice being given to the operators involved that the helicopter experience package did not comply with the Fisheries Act.”
The hotel also did not keep required records of the crayfish, making it difficult to quantify the scale of the offending, Jay said.
“We all have a role to play in ensuring the ongoing sustainability of our fisheries.”
Fisheries NZ is also prosecuting another business in relation to the offending. The matter is still before the courts.
The Rees Hotel was crowned New Zealand’s leading hotel at the 30th Annual World Travel Awards in 2023.
The hotel has been approached for comment.
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