Canterbury aquaculture company fined $24k

A consignment of the green-lipped mussels. Photo: Supplied

A Canterbury aquaculture company that illegally supplied hundreds of thousands of live green-lipped mussels from a restricted area to an exporter has been fined $24,000.

Aroma Aquaculture Ltd was sentenced in the Christchurch District Court on Wednesday on one representative charge under the Biosecurity Act, following a successful prosecution by the Ministry for Primary Industries.

"This company supplied 27 consignments totalling about 259,000kg of live green-lipped mussels to the licenced fish receiver and exporter Ikana New Zealand Limited. The movement of the shellfish was in breach of movement controls in place to prevent the spread of Bonamia ostreae," says Aleshea Allen, ministry acting director of investigations and compliance support.

Company director Ben Winters appeared at sentencing in the Christchurch District Court on Wednesday. Photo: LouisDunham

Ikana New Zealand Ltd did not have a permit to receive the shellfish and was fined $30,000 in March for its part in the offending.

"Bonamia ostreae has had a significant effect on the flat-oyster fishery, and we all need to do our part to prevent it from spreading. The movement controls are well understood by industry and have been in place across areas of the South Island since 2015," says Allen.

The investigation began when a biosecurity inspector discovered evidence that consignments of green-lipped mussels were being moved illegally by a group of seafood producers, transporters and processors.

"Our investigation found shellfish were moved in breach of biosecurity regulations as a result of a direct business arrangement between the management of Aroma Aquaculture and Ikana New Zealand.

"The vast majority of people who work in the aquaculture industry are responsible and do the right thing by following all rules and regulations.

"Aroma Aquaculture’s actions had the potential to cause serious harm to both the natural environment, and to the reputation of our country’s multi-million-dollar export and domestic shellfish industry. When we find evidence of offending, we take action," Allen says.

Aroma Aquaculture Ltd company director Ben Winters appeared at the sentencing. The company's lawyer said its errors were not deliberate, but were instead mistaken assumptions about the appropriate permits.

Moving marine product out of the controlled area notice zone would require a permit from MPI with strict protocols around transportation.

Facing a maximum fine of $100,000 for the offences, Judge Mark Callaghan discounted the sentence due to an early guilty plea and no other offending, ordering it to pay $24,000 plus court costs.