Pāua poacher sentenced to three year fishing ban

8:16 pm on 16 October 2017

A Wellington man has been banned from fishing for three years for illegally taking and selling more than $17,000 worth of seafood on the black market.

Over a seven-month period Sonny Gilbert Wairau, 39, illegally took 257 kilograms of paua and 31kg of sea cucumbers from around the Wellington coastline.

Along with two business partners, he then sold the seafood under the company name, the Pāua Corporation.

The Ministry for Primary Industries said the value of the paua, if sold legitimately, was more than $17,000.

In the Wellington District Court today he was sentenced to serve seven months' home detention, as well as the three year fishing ban.

The other two offenders are also before the court.