18 July 2005
MEDIA RELEASE
From the Ministry of Fisheries
Imprisonment for paua offence
Wun Yin Chow of Lower Hutt was sentenced to 8 months imprisonment when he appeared at Wellington District Court this
morning for sentencing on a charge in relation to paua offending, having pleaded guilty in June.
The court heard that Mr Chow was apprehended at Johnsonville on 25 August 2004, buying 1003 individual shucked ordinary
paua for the sum of $2,250 from two Johnsonville men, Iakopo Faatau and Moevao Neti. The paua, which were in 11
supermarket bags, weighed 117.9 kilograms, and had an estimated value of approximately $10,600.
The offence was in breach of section 233 of the Fisheries Act 1996, which carries maximum five years imprisonment and/or
$250,000 fine, and/or a community based sentence.
Judge Bruce Davidson remarked that he took a starting point of 12 months imprisonment and reduced the sentence by 4
months in response to the defendant's guilty plea and other mitigating factors.
While leave for application for home detention was granted, the custodial sentence was not deferred pending an
application for home detention.
Mr Faatau and Mr Neti were also charged and each sentenced to terms of imprisonment of 12 months on 9 March 2005, having
pleaded guilty in November 2004.
On 9 March, the Court ordered the 117.9 kilograms of paua, the sale proceeds of $2250, and the vehicle the paua was
found in on 25 August 2004, forfeit to the Crown.
Ministry of Fisheries District Compliance manager Ross Thurston says staff are pleased with the severity of the
sentences.
"The toughness of sentencing shows how seriously the courts view this type of fish thieving," he says. "This reflects
the lack of tolerance the New Zealand public has for fish thieves, and sends a strong message to anyone out there
contemplating such activities.
"Observant members of the public continually provide us with valuable information. This sentencing is the end result of
several such phone calls."
ENDS