A Porirua fisher who illegally harvested 1,869 pāua using scuba gear and intended to sell them has been sentenced to 10 months’ home detention and 300 hours of community work.
Jorden Cedric Paul, 43, pleaded guilty to three Fisheries Act charges and was sentenced on August 14 following a Ministry for Primary Industries prosecution.
Fisheries New Zealand said Paul used his boat to take 1,869 pāua near Titahi Bay, far exceeding the daily recreational limit of five. Investigators found 222 were undersized, and he had used prohibited underwater breathing equipment.
The offending was uncovered in June 2025 when Fishery Officers inspected Paul’s catch after he returned to a Wellington boat ramp. Most of the pāua had already been shucked, and authorities believe it was intended for sale.
MPI said the large-scale poaching caused environmental harm and threatened the sustainability of pāua stocks. Paul’s boat, Toyota LandCruiser, fishing gear, and harvesting equipment were forfeited to the Crown.
The Ministry for Primary Industries encourages people to report any suspected illegal activity through the MPI’s 0800 4 POACHER line (0800 476 224).
