Company to be charged in oyster case

16 May 2003

The Ministry of Fisheries has confirmed that an Invercargill fishing company is to be charged following an incident in late March 2003 when undersize oysters were allegedly landed by a vessel from the Bluff oyster fleet.

Fishery Officers detected the alleged breach while checking oysters for size compliance during a routine factory inspection.

The company is to be charged under the Fisheries Commercial Fishing Regulations which provides for a maximum fine of $100,000 upon summary conviction.

Ministry of Fisheries District Compliance Manager Reece Murphy said that this incident has been the only reported case of this nature since the start of the oyster season and there does not appear to be a widespread problem with undersize oysters being landed.

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