A Dunedin man has been sentenced to four years in prison for his role as the primary offender in a large paua poaching operation in Otago.
Ryan Karl Tapsell, 40, was convicted of 15 charges relating to illegally taking and selling the paua, and falsely obtaining a customary authorisation to take the shellfish.
A customary authorisation allows the holder to take more than the daily limit for a specified event as authorised by the local iwi.
But Mr Tapsell used the authorisation to take the paua and then sell it to local fish and chips shops for profit.
The Ministry for Primary Industries says Tapsell's operation netted up to $12,000 profit.
