Seventy whitebaiters who fished in South Westland this season could be prosecuted for alleged offences under the Conservation Act.
Department of Conservation biodiversity and area compliance officer Julian Tovey, of Fox Glacier, told the Otago Daily Times yesterday the number of alleged offenders last year was 42 and eight were prosecuted.
Mr Tovey said many of the alleged offences this season were of whitebaiters standing more than 10m from their net.
On one occasion, on the Cascade River, a net and equipment worth about $1000 was seized by Doc staff when no-one was found to be present.
Other offences related to the size and location of screens used to direct whitebait into nets.
Whitebait charges were usually dealt with in the Greymouth District Court. After last season, one whitebaiter was fined $1400 for various offences.
Doc patrolled whitebaiting rivers by helicopter, canoe, jet-boat and on foot, Mr Tovey said.
