A Christchurch man has been fined for taking too many pāua, many of them undersized, off Akaroa.
Haiqiang Lin was fined $2000 for taking excess and undersized pāua near Akaroa. Photo:
Haiqiang Lin pleaded guilty in Christchurch District Court last month to gathering three times the legal limits of pāua and cats' eyes.
A Ministry for Primary Industries spokesperson, Howard Reid, said fishery officers on patrol became suspicious of Lin and pulled him over in March.
He said Lin had 48 black-foot pāua, 45 of which were undersize, and 70 cat's eyes.
Taking undersized and excess pāua was particularly damaging, because they took a long time to grow, Mr Reid said.
Lin was fined $2000 and ordered to pay court costs of $390.