Man Caught Poaching 1869 Pāua | Auckland News

Auckland News Today | 2 Min News | The Daily News Now! · Aug 21, 2026 · 1m

A 43-year-old fisherman, Jorden Paul, was caught with 1869 illegally harvested pāua—373 times the legal limit—using banned scuba gear near Porirua. Over 200 of the shellfish were too small to be legally taken, and his actions devastated local fisheries. Authorities confirmed he was driven by greed, aiming to sell the haul for profit, with no chance of returning the stock to the ocean. Despite claiming he was sharing with family, prosecutors dismissed the excuse. Paul received ten months of home detention, 300 hours of community service, and lost his boat and gear. The case serves as a stark…