Auckland and Coromandel rockpool raiders face $250 fines from 26 November - NEWS WIRE

New rules in Auckland and along the Coromandel coast will allow officers to issue on-the-spot fines of $250 starting 26 November for people caught stripping rockpools and gathering marine invertebrates during an ongoing ban. Fisheries and Oceans Minister Shane Jones announced on Monday 2 November that the infringement notices close the enforcement gap between warnings and court prosecutions. Since Sunday 1 November, it has been illegal for recreational gatherers to take species such as cat’s eyes, mussels, limpets, chitons and periwinkles from intertidal zones, including beaches, rocky shores and rockpools up to where water is 2 metres deep. Jones described the move as a response to public calls for stronger enforcement.