Two Bay of Plenty men are found guilty of illegal whitebait fishing practices after they were observed operating close to the Orini floodgates.

The Department of Conservation reports it brought the case before the courts after its rangers observed Travis Tane, 21, fishing within 20 metres of the floodgate.

He was observed doing this on October 7 last year, despite there being five signs close to the floodgate indicating that whitebait fishing there was illegal.

DOC Gisborne Whakatane area manager Andy Bassett says enforcement of the Whitebait Fisheries Act is important.

'We hope that these most recent convictions will make people think twice before breaking the regulations in the future,” says Andy.

'It is great to see the judiciary supporting the hard work of conservation staff and the greater community.”

DOC reports the second man found guilty in the Whakatane District Court this week of fishing within 20 metres of the Orini floodgate is 39 year old Terrance Nathan.

A community magistrate fined him $400 and ordered $132 court costs to be paid.

His net was also confiscated.

'The whitebait regulations are in place to protect the white bait fishery,” says Andy.

'Both Mr Tane's and Nathan's actions in fishing within the restricted showed them to be lazy and disrespectful whitebaiters.”