Latest news with #GarrethJay
1News
15-07-2025
- 1News
Queenstown hotel fined $22k for illegal crayfish sale in VIP experience
A Queenstown hotel has been fined $22,000 for illegally selling recreationally caught crayfish as part of a luxury guest experience and failing to keep records. The Rees Management Limited, trading as The Rees Hotel, was sentenced in the Queenstown District Court yesterday following a prosecution by the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI). The charges were laid under the Fisheries Act 1996 and the Fisheries (Recordkeeping) Regulations 1990. At the centre of the case was the hotel's luxury package, known as The Rees Ultimate Heli Crayfish Dining Experience. This included a helicopter flight over the Southern Alps to a remote West Coast beach where a driver collected live crayfish, which was then brought back and cooked at the hotel. ADVERTISEMENT Guests were charged between $4650 and $7750 for the total day's experience. Under the Fisheries Act, a commercial fishing licence was required to take any fish for sale. Fisheries New Zealand South regional manager Garreth Jay said the offending persisted despite clear advice being given to the operators that the package did not comply with the Fisheries Act. Any use of seafood as part of a business' commercial activity was considered a sale under the Act, he added. "The rules are there for a reason – to safeguard the resource for current and future generations, protect the integrity of the fisheries management system, and ensure a level playing field for businesses using seafood as part of their commercial activities. "Where we find evidence of people breaking the rules we will investigate and take appropriate action." ADVERTISEMENT The hotel did not keep required records of the crayfish, which Jay said made it difficult to quantify the scale of the offending. "We all have a role to play in ensuring the ongoing sustainability of our fisheries." Another business was being prosecuted by Fisheries NZ in relation to this offending. The matter was before the courts.
RNZ News
15-07-2025
- Business
- RNZ News
Queenstown hotel fined $22,000 for breaches under Fisheries Act
The hotel had been offering 'The Rees Ultimate Heli Crayfish dining experience' to guests which included the illegal sale of recreationally caught crayfish. File picture. Photo: Malcolm Francis A Queenstown hotel has been fined $22,000 for illegally selling recreationally caught crayfish and failing to keep records. The Rees Management Limited, which trades as The Rees Hotel, was sentenced in the Queenstown District Court on Monday for charges under the Fisheries Act and Fisheries (Record keeping) Regulations. The hotel had been offering 'The Rees Ultimate Heli Crayfish dining experience' to guests which included the illegal sale of recreationally caught crayfish. Guests were invoiced between $4650 and $7750 for the total day's experience. Fisheries New Zealand regional manager south Garreth Jay said under the Fisheries Act, a commercial fishing permit is required to take any fish for sale. Any use of seafood as part of a business' commercial activities is considered sale under the Act. "The rules are there for a reason - to safeguard the resource for current and future generations, protect the integrity of the fisheries management system, and ensure a level playing field for businesses' using seafood as part of their commercial activities," Jay said. "In this case it is our view the offending persisted despite clear advice being given to the operators involved that the helicopter experience package did not comply with the Fisheries Act." The hotel also did not keep required records of the crayfish making it difficult to quantify the scale of the offending, Jay said. "We all have a role to play in ensuring the ongoing sustainability of our fisheries. We encourage people to report suspected illegal activity through our free-calling 0800 4 POACHER number (0800 47 62 24)," he said. Fisheries New Zealand is also prosecuting another business in relation to the offending, with the matter still before the courts. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
