Ministry of Fishery Officers say a Tauranga man caught with 12 undersized kingfish claimed he was unaware of the size limits for the fish, although a detailed measurement sticker was clearly visible in his boat.
The man could now face a fine of up to $20,000 and possible confiscation of the boat he was using, which was borrowed from a friend.

Kingfish.

The man was caught on Wednesday by a routine Ministry of Fisheries patrol in the area between the Mount entrance to Tauranga and Motiti Island.
Fisheries officers found the 12 kingfish onboard the boat and the largest measured 54.5cm and the smallest 48cm.
Fishers are only allowed to take three kingfish each per day and the minimum legal size is 75cm.
Ministries of Fisheries local field operations manager, Brendon Mikkelsen, says the man launched the boat at Sulphur Point Marina and would have seen large signs there detailing bag and size limits.
The fishery patrol also found a couple and their two children just off Motiti Island with 22 undersized snapper.
Although the minimum legal size for snapper is 27cm, several of these were less than 20cm and the smallest was a19.4cm.
'They claimed that they had thrown the undersized fish back but then recaptured them when they appeared to be floating dead on the water.”
'This is a very lame excuse. All fishers know that undersized fish must be returned to the sea whether they are alive or dead, otherwise, anyone who was caught with an undersized fish could simply claim it was already dead.”