Three men face serious fisheries charges after a stash of 867 paua was seized near Wellington.
The recreational fishing limit for paua is 10 per person a day.
Compliance officers seized 81 kgs of shucked paua, an outboard motor, and other property when they moved in on a poaching operation south of Titahi Bay.
The men will appear in the Porirua District Court next month, facing charges carrying a possible jail term of five years and/or a fine of up to $250,000.
