Boat seized after fishermen caught with 99 snapper, including undersized fish

Five people caught with 99 snapper, including 38 undersize fish. Photo / Ministry for Primary Industries

Five fishermen were caught with 99 snapper, including 38 undersize fish in east Auckland on Saturday night.

Ministry for Primary Industries Auckland fishery officers seized a recreational boat after the group were found at the Half Moon Bay boat ramp in east Auckland.

As the daily bag limit for snapper in the Hauraki Gulf is seven per person, there should have only been 35 fish caught. The minimum size for snapper caught in the upper North Island is 30cm.

Fisheries Regional Compliance Manager, Andre Espinoza said investigations are still undergoing and the people involved are likely to face court action.

Five people caught with 99 snapper, including 38 undersize fish. Photo / Ministry for Primary Industries

People are also likely to face prosecution in a number of separate incidents.

Fishery Officers seized a recreational boat at Great Barrier Island as the sole fisher aboard had four times the daily limit of crayfish.

In the Auckland and Kermadec area, the daily limits for combined species for a fisherman are six.

A car was also seized when the occupants were found with more than 800 cockles they had taken from Eastern Beach, which is closed.

In the upper North Island, fines are handed out for people caught with undersized fish and over the daily bag limit. But if a person is caught three times over the daily limit they face prosecution and/or gear forfeiture.

• To report poaching, suspicious or illegal activity – call 0800 4 POACHER (800 476 224).