A father and daughter have been convicted of selling fish illegally through the Oamaru buy, sell and exchange Facebook page.
The Ministry for Primary Industries brought the case against the Oamaru family for creating a ''black market'' product, the Oamaru District Court heard yesterday.
Malama Givani Fifita (26), a mother, and Toni Fifita (59), a meat worker, were convicted on charges of possession of yellow-eyed mullet for sale in contravention of a section of the Fisheries Act, and obtaining a benefit by knowingly selling fish otherwise than in accordance with the Fisheries Act.
The summary of facts stated that on November 16, about 5.30pm, a person calling themselves ''Lane Oscar'' offered bags of mullet for sale for $20 through Oamaru buy, sell and exchange.
Other Facebook users advised Oscar selling fish this way was illegal.
One user posted a link to the ministry's website containing the rules and another user advised Oscar they would be fined.
The person operating the Facebook account, Malama Fifita, told commentators ''if you don't wanna buy don't comment'' and ''nobody cares''.
A complaint was made to police, who contacted the ministry.
Police and fisheries officers visited a Thames St address and recovered 40 fresh loose mullet and 130 frozen mullet.
When interviewed, Malama Fifita admitted she was Oscar.
She said the fish had been caught earlier that week by her father, Toni Fifita, during family fishing trips to the Kakanui River mouth.
When interviewed she said she didn't know it was illegal to sell fish, but she acknowledged she saw the comments by other Facebook users telling her it was illegal.
The ministry's prosecutor, Leonie Matehaere, stated in the environmental impact report yellow-eyed mullet were susceptible to over-fishing.
The report stated black market operators and poachers were concerned only with the financial rewards to be gained from their illicit activities and there was no regard to fisheries sustainability controls, food sanitation, or public health requirements concerning the sale of seafood.
Judge Joanna Maze called for the restorative justice programme to run to give the Fifitas the chance to meet representatives from Ngai Tahu and learn about the impact of poaching in the Kakanui River.
The Fifitas were convicted and remanded for sentence at the Oamaru District Court on May 31.
