11 October 2007

Offender fined for fishing in New Zealand’s most popular marine reserve

A North Shore man was convicted in the Warkworth District Court this week after pleading guilty to illegally fishing in the Goat Island marine reserve near Leigh.

Dennis Erskine, aged 23 years, was fined $1500 plus court costs and had his fishing gear forfeited for deliberately fishing at an out-of-the-way location within the marine reserve and catching six snapper in March this year.

In sentencing Mr Erskine, Judge Barbara Morris expressed concern that he blatantly fished in the marine reserve by going to considerable lengths to find a remote location and then ran from a Department of Conservation Ranger. Judge Morris also noted that the offence was not of a minor nature.

DOC investigator Richard Bray said the fine reflected the seriousness of the offence.

“Marine reserves preserve all marine life in their natural state and taking fish alters this natural balance. No amount of fines can bring those fish back, but can act as a deterrent.”

Mr Bray said that Mr Erskine knew about the marine reserve and deliberately flouted the law.

“He made his way over farm land, passing within metres of two DOC signs that outlined the marine reserve, before climbing down steep rocks into the reserve.

“When he was approached by a ranger, Mr Erskine cut his line, dropped his rod and threw all the gutted fish back into the water, before attempting to escape around the rocks.”

This is the first prosecution in two years at this reserve, but two other offenders have been jointly charged with taking seven crayfish from the reserve in August this year and are due to appear in the North Shore District Court in November.

Cape Rodney to Okakari Point Marine Reserve (commonly known as Goat Island marine reserve) was established in 1975, and is an important reserve for scientific study, with the University of Auckland marine laboratory located nearby.

The reserve is one of New Zealand’s most popular and receives up to 300,000 visitors each year, most of who are there to look and learn, and respect the restrictions on taking marine life. In the past nine years there have been 15 prosecutions for illegally taking marine life from the reserve, with 12 of those cases resulting in fines and the remainder involving custodial sentences.

Under the Marine Reserves Act people can be fined up to $10,000 or be imprisoned for up to three months and have all their gear forfeited, for taking marine life from a marine reserve.

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