A Porirua man has been sentenced to more than two years in jail after being found guilty of poaching 619 pāua – more than 60 times the daily catch limit.
In November 2022, fishery officers searching the home of Ruteru Sufia found 65 pāua in a freezer along with 554 shucked pāua in another freezer.
“This was a large amount of pāua, more than 60 times the daily catch limit and more than 30 times the accumulation limit. Also, 45 of the pāua found were undersize,” Fisheries New Zealand regional manager, Fisheries Compliance, Phil Tasker, said.
He was slapped with four charges under the Fisheries Act and one charge under the Fisheries (Amateur Fishing) Regulations.
While on bail, the 63-year-old was caught with a further 48 pāua – with 29 less than the minimum legal size.
Tasker said Sufia had intended to sell the seafood, which is illegal.
“We have zero tolerance for poachers – they affect the sustainability of our shared fisheries, and they affect people who legitimately trade in seafood,” Tasker said.
“Mr Sufia claimed the pāua in his freezer was for a wedding in Auckland, an explanation the court didn’t believe. Mr Sufia’s offending was deliberate.
“He wasn’t concerned with legal size and catch limits; he was driven by financial gain from poaching this pāua.”
Sufia “has a long record of breaking fisheries rules”, Tasker said, with the Ministry for Primary Industries dealing with more than 35 offences involving the man over “a number of years”.
He was sentenced today in the Porirua District Court to two years and six months in prison after being prosecuted by MPI.
Sufia was also banned from all forms of fishing for three years.
“When we find evidence of illegal fishing – you can be assured that we will investigate and depending on the circumstances, place the matter before the court.”
Anyone who suspected illegal activity could make a report through 0800 4 POACHER (0800 47 62 24).
