A Northland commercial fisher has been ordered to pay more than $104,000 after under-reporting and selling green mussel spat.
David John Lovell, 48, was sentenced on Friday on one charge under the Fisheries Act in the Kataia District Court following a successful prosecution by the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI).
Lovell was fined $50,625 for under-reporting and selling green mussel spat and ordered to pay $53,540 in reparations to MPI.
Fisheries NZ regional manager compliance North Andre Espinoza said Lovell sold 1738kg more of green-lipped mussel spat than he reported on his Monthly Harvest Report for the 2021/2022 fishing year.
“His offending continued into 2022/2023 when he reported taking no spat, yet our sales inquiries found he had sold 939kg of spat to marine farmers.”
Commercial fishers and licensed fish receivers can only land what their quota rights or annual catch entitlement entitles them to. Without these, anything landed above their entitlement means a penalty, called deemed value, must be paid to MPI.
The “deliberate” non-reporting by Lovell meant he benefited directly from not paying $53,540 in deemed value, Espinoza said.
“The vast majority of the fishing industry do the right thing. Lovell undermined the Quota Management System and the sustainability of our shared fishing resources.
“Fishery officers discovered this illegal behaviour after the invoices shared between Mr Lovell and his buyers did not add up. When we find evidence of non-compliance with the rules under the Fisheries Act, we take action.”
