Source: Radio New Zealand
A video shows a number of fish found dead in the water near Great Barrier Island (file image). RNZ/Carol Stiles
Fisheries NZ is investigating a complaint after a number of fish were found dead in the water near Great Barrier Island.
A video posted to social media shows some upset fisherman making the discovering.
One of the fisherman calls the sight “just bloody terrible”.
Fisheries NZ regional manager Andre Espinoza said they had identified a fishing vessel operating in the area and were investigating.
“Fisheries New Zealand has received a complaint, and we are looking into it to establish whether any fisheries offence has occurred,” he said.
“Illegal discarding of fish from commercial vessels is relatively rare because of the prevalence of on-board cameras on many vessels and because we are able to track the movements of vessels in near real time. However, we do receive complaints from time to time and follow up on each on.”
Espinoza said they would review the vessel’s onboard camera footage, catch reporting and GPS vessel tracking.
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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand
