A fisherman involved in the illegal catching and selling of crayfish in Kaikoura may be forced to forfeit his boat.
Christopher Lindsay Leggett, 44, yesterday pleaded guilty to charges of gaining $1340 from the sale of crayfish between May 2013 to March 2014. His car, boat and trailer were seized.
John Anthony Parker pleaded guilty to eight charges of illegally taking crayfish for the purpose of selling.
Shane Robert Crouch and Susan Birnie pleaded not guilty, seeking a jury trial on similar charges.
They were arrested in May after 12-month Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) operation, which involved 50 compliance officers.
At the Kaikoura District Court yesterday, Judge David Saunders said guidelines on the taking of seafood were well publicised and Legget losing his assets would send greater shockwaves than if the the offenders received community sentences only.
"There are penalties for illegally indulging in selling seafood," he said.
The judge said because the boat was used in the crime, it should be subject to forfeiture.
Legget's lawyer Rennie Gauld said Legget never took more than the catch limit.
Eleven others have pleaded not guilty and will seek a jury trial, for which there will be a case review hearing in Blenheim in December.
Ministry of Primary Industries (MPI) prosecutor David Fordyce said the abundance of seafood in Kaikoura meant anyone could always get their quota.
The judge questioned the length of the operation - codenamed "Kaikoura 15" - saying that it was not necessary to gather more evidence, just more counts of selling illegally.
Fordyce said 46 people had been apprehended but fewer than half had been charged because after the agent had gone back to them a second time, they had refused to sell.
Warning letters had been sent and prosecutions were only sought against those who had continued to sell illegally, he said.
The judge noted the maximum fine was $250,000 but chose to fine Legget $1700 - an amount which meant the Crown would not be out of pocket after buying the crayfish. He was also sentenced to four months' community detention.
Leggett could apply to the MPI for the return of the boat and trailer, the judge said.
Parker was not sentenced, pending investigation into the forfeiture of motor vehicles by MPI.
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