Illegal seafood trade sparks public warning from Fisheries officials in New Zealand

Fisheries Officers have issued a warning about illegal poaching of seafood saying if you buy seafood from unreputable sources you could end up facing charges. They say there's always a surge in illegal sales of high-value species - like crayfish and paua - over summer. Most recreational fishers play by the rule book. But all too often, fisheries investigators discover seafood being sold online illegally. "Facebook Marketplace and other social media. It ramps up quite significantly this time of year," Fisheries NZ North Harbour District team leader Glen Blackwell said. Coupled with good fishing conditions this summer, there's another factor that could be contributing to illegal behaviour. "I just think times are tough for a lot of people and they're trying to make a dollar, you know," senior fisheries officer Matt Parry said. Blackwell said high-value underwater species can end up being used as currency in the underworld. "It's pretty well known that within the underworld ...