/cloudfront-ap-southeast-2.images.arcpublishing.com/nzme/NANBZ27FOMCS3LXQVZU5W2S6N4.jpg "The HMNZS Hawea vessel has been patrolling Northland waters with fisheries officers. Photo / NZ Defence Force.")
The Royal New Zealand Navy has stepped in to help fisheries officers nab law-breakers in the deep waters of Northland's east coast.
The Ministry of Primary Industries (MPI) has teamed up with the Navy to boost inspections of fishing vessels from the Bay of Islands up to the Three Kings.
The patrols, conducted several times a year, help to detect and deter illegal fishing, monitor compliance and educate both recreational and commercial fishers.
During a recent week-long patrol on board HMNZS Hawea, fishery officers inspected 18 fishing vessels including 12 commercial vessels.
MPI's regional manager of fisheries compliance Stephen Rudsdale said: "This patrol found a group of recreational fishers who had committed offences in relation to packhorse crayfish near North Cape.
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"Four people on one vessel had 17 packhorse crayfish which they had stolen from a commercial crayfishing pot. Nine of the female crays had eggs, and five were too small. All 17 crayfish were returned to the sea alive."
The patrol located a recreational long line in Deep Water Cove, Bay of Islands. This is an area which has been closed to fishing for many years. It is an offence to take fish other than kina from this bay. The line was seized and removed.
"Some of the areas where commercial fishing is conducted are beyond the reach of MPI patrol vessels but are easily within the range of the NZ Navy.
"When a big grey ship turns up the fishers can get a bit of a surprise."
Inspecting vessels at sea provides MPI with an opportunity to ensure fishers are complying with the fisheries regulations by checking their catch, equipment and fishing methods.
"We need to be able to get onboard fishing vessels to see if the reporting matches what they are catching. It means we can check commercial fishing equipment and methods comply with the regulations. We check that birds and other non-fish species are not being caught or are returned safely."
Measures are in place to ensure the sustainability of fisheries, including accurate and truthful catch reporting for commercial fishers.
