A group of fishers may face charges after being caught with 99 snapper on their boat in east Auckland.
Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) fishery officers seized a recreational boat after the people aboard it were found with the large haul of snapper, including 38 undersized fish at Half Moon Bay boat ramp on November 13.
Fisheries regional compliance manager Andre Espinoza says the team is still investigating and the people involved “are likely to face court action”.
The daily bag limit for snapper in the Hauraki Gulf is seven per person, Espinoza says.
In a separate incident in the past week, MPI fisheries officers seized a vehicle when its occupants were found with more than 800 cockles, which they had taken from Eastern Beach.
Eastern Beach is currently closed to shellfish harvesting.
People can report poaching and suspicious or illegal fishing activity by phoning 0800 476 224.
