A 41 year old man is to pay $500 to the Department of Conservation and $130 in court costs after pleading guilty to fishing in a marine reserve.
In the Whakatane District Court Judge Harding heard how Auckland computer programmer Lance Gordon Warren was seen by Ministry of Fisheries staff in Te Paepae o Aotea Marine Reserve on January 27, 2010.
They say Warren's vessel was located by the rangers 130m inside the reserve with all occupants jig fishing. Warren was the skipper of the vessel and they say he admitted to them that he knew of the marine reserve.
In court, Warren pleaded guilty at first appearance to fishing in the reserve.
'This is another good result for the protection of marine biodiversity, the inter agency approach that was successful in this case will be on going and will undoubtedly enhance the protection o Te Paepae o Aotea Marine Reserve,” says Gisborne Whakatane area compliance officer Jaime Quirk.
Warren was not fishing in the tournament organised by the Whakatane Sport Fishing Club being held at the time.
1 comment
pathetic!
Posted on 03-02-2011 16:51 | By claypole
Pure greed and he gets a slap on the wrist. No its not a good result Jamie as well you know. confiscate the boat as he knew he was inside!
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