An Auckland fish trader has been fined $360,000 and an employee jailed for buying and selling illegally caught fish.
Sea World Limited, 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 handed a jail term of three years and seven months.
A former company director, 43-year-old Haihong Liu, also appeared in court and was sentenced to 12 months home detention on two charges – including an attempt to pervert the course of justice.
According to Fisheries New Zealand, an investigation into Sea World found that between December 2018 and November 2019, the company - acting as a licensed fish receiver - illegally supplied fish valued at $348,304.03 to other seafood companies.
"None of this fish was properly recorded and was not reported as landed legally or received legally by Sea World," Fisheries New Zealand director of fisheries compliance Steve Ham said.
"This was deliberate stealing by stealth that fell outside of the Quota Management System."
The fish comprised 38,202 kilograms of snapper, 2761 kilograms of kahawai and 1760 kilograms of grey mullet.
Ham said the offending "would not have been possible" without Taukatelata's involvement and Liu's assistance.
He said most of the 97 transactions carried out during the investigation were in cash.
"This was a deliberate attempt to hide the transactions, and the motivation was financial greed.
"When we find evidence of illegal sales in fish – you can be assured that we will investigate and place the matter before the court.
"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," Ham said.
A transport truck and $20,000 were forfeited to the crown alongside the sentences.
Fisheries NZ said other defendants are yet to appear in court on criminal charges.
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