A "simplistic" black market operation has netted its creators almost 100 hours of community work.
Toni Fifita (59), a meat worker, and his daughter Malama Givani Fifita (26), a mother, were sentenced in the Oamaru District Court on Wednesday for their respective roles in selling yellow-eyed mullet illegally on the Oamaru buy, sell and exchange Facebook page.
Both were sentenced to 95 hours of community work on charges of possession of yellow-eyed mullet for sale, in contravention of a sections 192(5) and 192(6) of the Fisheries Act 1996, and obtaining a benefit by knowingly selling fish otherwise than in accordance with sections 233(1) and 233(4) of the Fisheries Act.
The summary of facts stated that on November 16, 2016, about 5.30pm, a person calling themselves "Lane Oscar" offered bags of mullet for sale for $20 through the Oamaru buy, sell and exchange Facebook page.
Other Facebook users advised Oscar selling fish this way was illegal.
A complaint was made to police, who contacted the Ministry for Primary Industries.
Police and fisheries officers visited a Thames St address and recovered 40 fresh loose mullet and 130 frozen mullet.
When interviewed, Malama Fifita admitted she was Oscar. She said the fish were caught earlier that week by her father, Toni Fifita, at the Kakanui River mouth.
When interviewed she said she did not know it was illegal to sell fish, but she had seen the comments by other Facebook users telling her it was illegal.
Judge Joanna Maze had ordered the Fifitas to attend a restorative justice programme with Ngai Tahu representatives to learn about the impact their actions had, and as a result of the meeting the Fifitas suggested an education programme could be introduced for Tongan families and other new arrivals.
Judge Maze described the Fifita Facebook activities as a "simple, unsophisticated black market operation".
The underlying reason for the illegal sales, which generated $100, was to alleviate financial hardship, the judge said. Judge Maze ordered the forfeiture of the mullet.
