Undersized scallops and taking crayfish carrying eggs are among the offences that have seen 14 recreational fishers facing around $4000 in fines after the long weekend.
Spokesman Jason Howat said fishery officers for the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) uncovered the offending as they inspected around 400 fishers who were taking advantage of the fine weather in the Coromandel during the Labour Weekend holiday.
"In general, compliance with fisheries regulations was high, with fishers playing their part in protecting the fishery by sticking to the rules," said Mr Howat.
However, some enthusiastic members of the public paid the price for taking undersized snapper, paua, scallops and crayfish.
The most serious breach was discovered when officers boarded a recreational boat at sea and found 132 scallops, 52 of which were undersized. The daily limit for the area is 20 scallops per fisher.
"As a result, the vessel and the dive gear used in the offending was seized and one person will face prosecution action," Mr Howat said.
Labour Weekend is a busy time for MPI fishery officers as they patrol the peninsular from all angles. Mr Howat says people who breach fisheries regulations will be caught.
"The result of the weekend’s patrol sends a very clear message. People who choose to break the rules will be dealt with accordingly.
"There’s not an endless supply of fish in the sea. We all need to do our bit to protect the sustainability of our fisheries for current and future generations and for the health of the fishery in general."
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