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On a trip to Blueskin Bay to gather shellfish, two men and a woman took 498 cockles and one cat’s eye. The daily limit is 50 per person.
None of the three had counted or knew how many shellfish they had taken, the Dunedin District Court heard on Friday last week.
Moote Taunganga, 30, freezing worker, his wife Taberauea Toareti, 38, and their cousin Kantei Phillip Kamatoa, 24, all of Timaru, admitted taking more than three times the daily limit of shellfish from the East OtagoTaiāpure in Blueskin Bay, Warrington, on February 8.
Counsel Chris Lynch said the three acknowledged their wrong-doing. They were visiting family in Dunedin and went to Blueskin Bay and collected the shellfish.
None had been previously convicted. They were hard-working and law-abiding in every other respect, Ms Lynch said.
‘‘No doubt they’ll never come before the court again. They are remorseful and more than happy to pay any fine.’’
Ministry for Primary Industries prosecutor Alan de Jager sought a $650 fine for each defendant. And he opposed a discharge without conviction for Toareti.
Community magistrate Philippa King granted Toareti a discharge. Her decision was ‘‘extremely finely balanced,’’ she said, ordering Taunganga and Kamatoa to pick up the balance of what would have been Toareti’s fine.
Taunganga and Kamatoa were each convicted and fined $975. All three are to pay court costs of $130.
- Court reporter