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A West Auckland architect has been fined $1500 after being convicted of catching snapper in the Goat Island marine reserve.
Karl Fenning, aged 44, pleaded guilty in the North Shore District Court to catching seven snapper in the reserve.
Mr Fenning also had his fishing gear and the illegally caught snapper permanently seized.
Another man who was allegedly fishing with Mr Fenning has also been charged and has pleaded not guilty.
Two honorary marine rangers saw Mr Fenning fishing from a boat in the channel between Goat Island on September 6 last year.
They photographed him from the shore and then tracked his boat to the Omaha Beach boat ramp. They spoke to Fenning and found the snapper, caught in the reserve, in his boat.
Department of Conservation senior biodiversity ranger Thelma Wilson welcomes the penalty imposed.
“But it’s disappointing he was fishing in the reserve,” Ms Wilson says. “This is New Zealand’s oldest marine reserve established 41 years ago. It’s well known and is well sign posted.”
The Cape Rodney-Okakari Point (Goat Island) Marine Reserve is marked on nautical charts and on GPS devices used for navigation on boats. There are large boundary markers at both ends of the reserve. And there are signs along roads in the area and at each boat ramp in the area, including the Omaha Beach boat ramp.
“Anyone who goes fishing needs to know the location of marine reserves,” Ms Wilson says.
