Six in court for taking beche-de-mer

 Six men from Woodlark Island in Milne Bay who were arrested last December for harvesting Beche-de-mer appeared before the Alotau district court.

They all pleaded guilty to charges of engaging in taking live sea cucumber during the closure period.

The men have been ordered to pay a fine of K2000 or face six months imprisonment at the Giligili jail.

One of the men who was also charged for possessing an unlicensed firearm and cartridges has been ordered to pay the fine or face six months imprisonment concurrently for charges of illegal fishing and possession of an unlicensed firearm.

The defendants were convicted for breaching the Fisheries Management Act and Firearms Act.

They were arrested on Woodlark Island by a combined police and National Fisheries Authority operation.