A Queenstown hotel has been fined $22,000 for illegally selling recreationally caught crayfish as part of a luxury guest experience and failing to keep records.
The Rees Management Limited, trading as The Rees Hotel, was sentenced in the Queenstown District Court yesterday following a prosecution by the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI).
The charges were laid under the Fisheries Act 1996 and the Fisheries (Recordkeeping) Regulations 1990.
At the centre of the case was the hotel’s luxury package, known as The Rees Ultimate Heli Crayfish Dining Experience.
This included a helicopter flight over the Southern Alps to a remote West Coast beach where a driver collected live crayfish, which was then brought back and cooked at the hotel.
Guests were charged between $4650 and $7750 for the total day’s experience.
Under the Fisheries Act, a commercial fishing licence was required to take any fish for sale.
Fisheries New Zealand South regional manager Garreth Jay said the offending persisted despite clear advice being given to the operators that the package did not comply with the Fisheries Act.
Any use of seafood as part of a business’ commercial activity was considered a sale under the Act, he added.
“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.”
The hotel did not keep required records of the crayfish, which Jay said made it difficult to quantify the scale of the offending.
“We all have a role to play in ensuring the ongoing sustainability of our fisheries.”
Another business was being prosecuted by Fisheries NZ in relation to this offending. The matter was before the courts.
