Ministry of Fisheries officers are frustrated fishermen are continuing to flout paua catch and size restrictions.
Three fishermen are likely to receive infringement notices after being caught with up to eight more paua than allowed and a similar amount of undersized paua at the weekend, ministry district compliance manager Murray Pridham said.
The episodes come within a week of two serious poaching incidents being discovered by fisheries officers in Otago and Southland.
Canterbury also has a poaching problem.
Dunedin officers were continuing their investigation of 149 shucked paua found hidden in rocks at Tomahawk Beach last week and would make a decision within the next fortnight on whether the three men involved would be prosecuted, Mr Pridham said.
"While the latest incidents were of a lesser nature, it shows people are not abiding by the daily limit and size restriction.
It's a bit frustrating."
People knew about the regulations, but still did not abide by them, Mr Pridham said.
The daily allowance is 10 paua per person, with a minimum legal size of 125mm in shell length.
"They are either not carrying measuring devices or choosing not to use them."
Fishermen faced fines of between $250 and $750.
Paua was a valuable resource and fishermen continuing not to abide by the rules could have long-term effects on sustainability, he said.
Paua poaching was also an issue in Southland, with fishery officers finding 339 paua, of which 316 were undersize, in partially concealed bags in a van travelling from Bluff to Invercargill on Friday.
Invercargill district compliance manager Reece Murphy said fortunately the paua had not been shucked, so after being examined, all were able to be returned to the sea.
Two men faced serious fisheries charges with penalties of up to $250,000.
Last week, two other men were apprehended at Ocean Beach with 67 paua, including more than 30 which were undersized.
This case was likely to result in court action.
In Canterbury, two or three poachers a week were being caught in the Godley Head area, The Press reported.
Three cases were to be heard in the Christchurch District Court in the next fortnight.
