Fined for dumping fish

NZPA - June 9th.

A former skipper of a Sealord fishing boat has been hit with a $45,000 fine for dumping catches of southern blue whiting and deliberately misreporting the catch.

Sealord Ltd, one of New Zealand's largest fishing companies, has pleaded guilty to a related offence, but sentencing has been delayed.

Lee Craig Harding, the skipper of its factory trawler Aorere in 2004, was sentenced in Nelson District Court today after being found guilty of nine charges relating to the intentional dumping of fish and subsequent misreporting of the catch during a fishing trip in the southern ocean.

The court was told a decision had been made by Harding, first mate James Jeffery Alford and factory manager Ross William McCoy to dump large quantities of whiting.

The Ministry of Fisheries said the exact quantity of fish dumped was unknown, but estimated at between 80 and 311 tonnes. No records had been taken of the catch.

The investigation started when fishery investigators received information that the offending had taken place. It was established that during the trip to the sub-Antarctic Campbell Islands in September and October 2004, southern blue whiting, a species managed under the quota management system, had been systematically dumped over a period of about 18 days.

Alford and McCoy pleaded guilty to 15 charges of illegally discarding fish in September 2007. Both were fined $20,000.
The sentencing of Sealord on a related offence is expected to be confirmed soon.

A decision on whether the Aorere and fishing gear and equipment on board will be forfeited to the crown has been reserved.
Ministry of Fisheries chief executive Wayne McNee said he was pleased with the court result.

"Dumping of quota fish is a serious offence against the Fisheries Act and can be difficult to detect," he said.

"There is no excuse for such a deliberate wastage of fish. Deliberate and dishonest behaviour such as this is disappointing as it undermines the Quota Management System and the rights of other fishers. It is pleasing to see the courts recognising this by imposing a stiff sentence."