Members of an East Coast black market crayfish poaching ring, headed by a father-daughter duo, have been sentenced today after netting more than $40,000 in illegal sales.

Thousands of crayfish were illegally harvested from the Mahia Peninsula using falsified customary permits and were sold on the black market throughout Auckland, Kawerau, Tauranga, Gisborne, Wairoa, Mahia, and Napier, bringing in a total profit of $43,140.

Following a Fisheries New Zealand investigation - that lasted from December 2020 to August 2021 - sentences were handed down in the Whakatane District Court today.

Kawerau locals Martin Te Iwingaro Ernest Paul, 49, and his daughter Whareake Tamaku Paul, 26, were the ringleaders of the operation.

They had earlier pleaded guilty to selling 1449 crayfish between September 2020 and August 2021 in their illegal operation on the black market.

The dad was sentenced to nine months of home detention, and his daughter got eight months of home detention and 100 hours of community work.

Regional compliance manager for Fisheries New Zealand Jodie Cole revealed just how this pair carried out their scheme.

“Martin Paul would provide details of a fake event, the fisher would use those false details to obtain a customary permit claiming the seafood was for a hui or tangi, who the gatherers were and where the events were being held,” Cole said.

“Yet these so-called events were a work of fiction and the marae or venue contacts had no idea their facilities were being named on permits.”

Cole called the operation a “carefully co-ordinated and organised black-market operation”.

“Whareake Paul was considered the accountant and took charge of managing orders and payments into family accounts. They were on-selling the crayfish for prices ranging from $25 to $60, depending on the size,” Cole said.

Fisheries New Zealand was alerted to the illegal activity through a Facebook post by Whareake where she was selling raffle tickets for a large seafood prize.

Cole also said local iwi and marae leaders are also victims of the fraud, despite having no knowledge of or involvement in the offence.

The nearly 1500 crayfish were mostly sold to other members of the syndicate, who were sentenced today.

Cole said Paul’s accomplices did not make a profit, however, they were essential in the operation by the collection of or buying and on-selling of the illegally harvested crayfish to whanau and friends.

Dean Hemi Karepa, 29, also a Kawerau local, was ordered to do 180 hours of community work. He worked as a courier and made 23 return trips to Wairoa to collect crayfish.

Terri Aroha Wetini, 44, from Te Teko, was sentenced to 100 hours of community service after purchasing 571 crayfish from one of the Pauls. She on-sold roughly 417 of these crayfish for $11,695 - the commercial value is $26,688.

Urukapuarangi Benita Waretini, 47, who now lives in Australia, has been fined to the tune of $3000 after she bought about 200 crayfish for $6000 which had a commercial value of $12,800. She went on to sell these crayfish at $30 each to family and friends.

Wowi Hineahoana Ioane, 42, from Kawerau, was forced to complete 40 hours of community service for selling 60 crayfish to friends for $30 apiece, which she acquired thanks to Urukapuarangi Benita Waretini’s connections with the Pauls. $3840 was the commercial value.

Ebony Mihi Paul, 25, from Whakatane, pleaded guilty to a charge of possessing 53 poached crayfish of which she sold 23 and was handed down 60 hours of community work and her vehicle used to collect the crayfish was forfeited.

Barbara Anne Ririnui, 53, from Kawerau was found to be in possession of 160 crayfish which were sold for about $4800 and had a commercial value of $10,240 and was sentenced to 60 hours of community service.

Conrad Jensen Whakangaroa Rarere, 33, was fined $1500 for possessing 45 crayfish for $675 that was harvested illegally after appearing in Napier District Court yesterday. They had a commercial price of about $2,880.

Stacey Maria Arohanui Savage, 51, of Kawerau, was sentenced to 70 hours of community service for having 142 illegally harvested crayfish in her possession. She paid the syndicate members $1260 for 42 crayfish and about $3,000 for 100 crayfish. The estimated commercial cost was more than $9000.

These are only some of the people involved in the operation that will appear in court charged with similar crimes.

“These crayfish were being sold at an extremely low price. If you’re offered seafood at a price that appears too good to be true – assume it was probably harvested illegally,” Cole said.

“We’d advise you not to buy it, and to let us know.”