Paua poacher’s costly collect

A Bay of Plenty man is to pay more than $1300 in fines after being caught with more than seven times the daily limit of paua.

Rangi Hickson Kingi, 36, pleaded guilty to having 79 undersized paua in Tauranga District Court yesterday and was fined $1100, and $230 in court costs.

Kingi had been on a winter paua gathering trip when he was stopped at a checkpoint at Newdicks Beach in Maketu and found to have seven times the recreational daily limit.

The recreational limit for paua is 10 per person per day with a minimum size of 125mm.

Ministry for Primary Industries reports all of Kingi's paua were 105mm or less.

MPI District Compliance Manager Waikato/Bay of Plenty, Brendon Mikkelsen, says taking too many paua puts the sustainability of the fishery at risk. The limits are there to ensure there is fish in the future.

To report any suspicious fishing activity please call 0800 4 POACHER (0800 476 224). Calls are confidential.

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8 comments

Greed trumps need...

Posted on 29-08-2014 19:04 | By morepork

What does it take for people to realize our natural resources are only sustainable if they are MANAGED? Each of us needs to manage what we take and ensure it is of proper size and quantity. Even if Mr. Kingi had 6 more of the whanau with him, it still doesn't excuse the taking of undersize shellfish (or anything else...). There IS enough to go round but there isn't if everyone is greedy and selfish. I hope he learns from this.


Many go on,

Posted on 30-08-2014 04:56 | By Sambo Returns

about foreign land ownership, (with justification) yet this pillaging of our natural resources goes on by our own, greed all round really!!!!


permits have no limits

Posted on 30-08-2014 11:03 | By Captain Sensible

But if he had a "Customary Permit" he could have taken as many truckloads of any sized seafood he wanted. There is no size limit nor numerical limit on seafood taken with the race based "Customary Permit" which can only be issued by maori. Hard to believe that such racism still exists in 2014.


Your name..

Posted on 30-08-2014 15:07 | By awaroa

ought to be captain ridiculous. Permit issuers are carefully selected by their governing entities for their local knowledge of the area they issue for and their reliability among some of the attributes. Their details are on file at MPI and if anyone was caught with "truckloads" of kaimoana taken under the 'auspices' of a customary permit, that permit issuer could immediately be subject to further investigation. We are not all as pathetic or plainly thick as you might want to believe. Back to this disgusting crime - two words: GREEDY MONGREL


@ awaroa

Posted on 30-08-2014 21:12 | By Captain Sensible

Fact; there is no limit on "customary permit" seafood, not on size or quantity. And the only race allowed to issue these permits is maori. Yes, the permit issuer may be investigated, but no law would have been broken. I know the truth is hard to accept at times.


Stick to the law of the land!

Posted on 31-08-2014 04:26 | By monty1212

At least he pleaded guilty and did not try some ridiculous maori get out clause based on greed and not law.


Your fact findings are..

Posted on 31-08-2014 14:06 | By awaroa

as plainly pathetic as the arguement your presenting. Look inward at who is projecting the racism instead of detracting from the issue in the article.


NOT FACT..

Posted on 31-08-2014 14:10 | By awaroa

that only Maori can issue a customary permit. Anyone who is nominated for the task but the relevant entity can become an issuer. Maori, Pakeha or other. Don't fancy your chances though. Especially when you are so blinded by your own racism that your fail to collect and report actual FACTS.


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