Source: Northland Regional Council
Two fishers have been fined $1000 each for breaching no take rules in Northland’s Mimiwhangata and Rakaumangamanga (Cape Brett) Rāhui Tapu marine protection areas.
Group Manager – Biosecurity Don Mckenzie, says both incidents saw Northland Regional Council (NRC) environmental monitoring officers obtain evidence of breach of the no-take rules (fish on a line) during scheduled surveillance.
The Mimiwhangata incident occurred on Wednesday 18 February at approximately 11.44am. The offender, from the Whangārei area, was fishing off Rimariki Island, bringing up a kahawhai when asked by NRC’s officer to reel in his line.
The Rakaumangamanga incident occurred during a night surveillance trip on 23 February 2026 at approximately 9.10pm. The offender (a recreational fisher from the Waikato staying on a launch) was caught in Maunganui Bay (Deep Water Cove) pulling up a large snapper/tāmure on his line.
Mr Mckenzie says night surveillance and response trips were incorporated into NRC’s surveillance schedule to avoid predictability in regulatory activity.
Five night surveillance trips occurred, with one response trip following a report from a member of the public.
“Council has undertaken 94 surveillance trips since October last year, approaching more than 246 vessels, resulting in the issue of 23 formal direction notices (essentially a ‘cease and desist’ order) and two infringement fines of $1000, both of which have been paid.
Mr Mckenzie says the no take rules came about after an Environment Court decision in 2023 directing the NRC to implement the rules via its Regional Plan, as fishing was shown to have been causing significant disruption and deterioration to local marine ecosystems.
The public can report incidents of fishing within the Rāhui Tapu by filling in an online form via: www.nrc.govt.nz/rahuitapuformor by calling NRC’s 24/7 incident hotline (0800) 504 639.