Rock-throwing paua poacher jailed

A recidivist Wellington paua poacher has been jailed after heaving rocks at a fisheries officer coming to check his catch.

Tulo Tuala was sentenced in Wellington District Court last week to a year in prison on three charges of paua poaching.

He was also charged with assault with a weapon, fishing while banned and possessing paua with intent to benefit from it.

When the fisheries officer approached Tuala on Titahi Bay, north of Wellington, last October, Tuala pelted him with large rocks, then ran away, the court was told.

The officer, who avoided being hit by the lobbed rocks, found a pack stuffed with 303 paua -- well over the 10 paua per gatherer, per day limit.

Tuala and an accomplice had taken a total of 523 paua in several hours of collecting.

In addition to the jail time, Tuala, who was already banned from fishing when he was caught, was banned from fishing for a further three years.

Ministry of Fisheries regional manager Ross Thurston said Tuala already had over 30 convictions for past offences and had blatantly ignored any warnings he was given.

"There is a limit of 10 paua per gatherer per day that can be taken so that there is enough paua for everyone to catch a decent feed today, tomorrow and in the future.