Northland Facebook crayfish sales worrying

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Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) Northland staff have found six incidents involving individuals offering crayfish for sale on various Facebook “buy/sell/swap” pages in the past two weeks.

It is illegal for people to buy, sell or swap their recreational catch and MPI is speaking to all involved.

MPI treat breaches of this nature seriously, people committing such offences risk facing prosecution and serious fines of up to $250,000 as well as forfeiture of any gear used in the commission of the offence.

This follows an MPI swoop in South Auckland in March where five properties were searched after being identified selling black market seafood from a Facebook page.

MPI Acting Northland District Compliance Manager Stephen Rudsdale says it is positive to see the public reaction to these sites, with most people realising it is illegal and posting messages indicating this to the sellers.

“We would like to remind the public it is illegal to offer to sell, trade and purchase seafood that has been recreationally taken.

“People who buy black market seafood also expose themselves to potential health risks, as there is no assurance that this product has been processed or stored hygienically.”

A Whangarei couple were prosecuted in 2013 for using a false identity to sell crayfish illegally on Facebook.

Toheroa under threat

MPI staff and Honorary Fisheries Officers have been noticing mixed bags of tuatua and toheroa being gathered this year on west coast beaches south of Dargaville possibly threatening the survival of the iconic toheroa in the area.

MPI Acting Northland District Compliance Manager Stephen Rudsdale says this is largely because tuatua beds are far more plentiful and accessible in the area than they have been for many years.

“Small toheroa and mature tuatua look very similar and they are sitting together in the same beds. People are getting a feed of tuatua and picking up small toheroa by mistake.

“It’s important people know the difference because there’s some hefty fines for taking toheroa. Staff and HFOs will be using some discretion, but will not tolerate people deliberately or repeatedly taking toheroa.”

Toheroa were a delicacy before the fishery crashed in the 1970s. They were and are only found on the west coast beaches of Northland, Horowhenua and on the Foveaux Strait beaches in Southland.

n If you happen to see anything of this nature on social media sites or other suspicious fishing activity, contact the confidential MPI hotline 0800 4 POACHER (0800 4 762 243).