Te Weehi v Regional Fisheries Officer - [1986] 1 NZLR 680

Fishing and fisheries — Offences — Possessing undersized paua — Defences — Maori fishing rights — A Maori was charged with being in possession of paua which were smaller than the minimum size permissible under fisheries regulations — Defendant claimed that he was exercising a customary Maori fishing right which was exempt from the provisions of the Fisheries Act and its regulations — Whether a defence based on customary Maori fishing rights was available — Whether the fishing right claimed could exist independently of proprietary rights to the land — Summary Proceedings Act 1957, s 67(8) — Fisheries (Amateur Fishing) Regulations 1983, reg 8(1)(b) — Fisheries Act 1983, s 88(2).