File pic Photo: RNZ
An Auckland fish trading company has been fined $360,000 and an employee jailed for buying and selling stolen fish.
Sea World, which traded as Seamart and employee Marco Taukatelata, 49, were sentenced at the Auckland District Court on Friday on two charges under the Fisheries Act.
Taukatelata was jailed for three years and seven months for his direct involvement in receiving and distributing thousands of dollars in illegally caught fish.
A fisheries investigation found in the 11 months to November 2019, the company - a licensed fish receiver - supplied $348,000 worth of illegally obtained fish to other seafood companies.
Over 97 cash transactions, there were 38,202 kilograms of snapper, 2761 kilos of kahawai and 1760 kilos of grey mullet taken - at a cash benefit to the company of $348,304.
A former company director, Haihong Liu, 43, was also sentenced to 12 months' home detention on two charges under the Fisheries Act, including attempting to pervert the course of justice.
Fisheries New Zealand said while this part of the case was completed, there were still other defendants to appear before the court on criminal charges.
Director of fisheries compliance Steve Ham said the company flouted quota management system rules.
"None of this fish was properly recorded and was not reported as landed legally or received legally by Sea World. This was deliberate stealing by stealth that fell outside of the quota management system," he said.
He said the cash transactions during the investigation were a "deliberate attempt to hide the transactions" and the "motivation was financial greed".
Ham said when authorities found evidence of illegal sales of fish, it would be investigated and put before the courts.
"The court's response should send a strong message to anyone involved in dealing in black market fish, whether at a low level or commercial level - it's only a matter of time before you're caught."
Along with the sentences, a transport truck owned by Sea World and $20,000 cash were forfeited to the Crown.