Meet NZ’s top ‘fish cop’ Steve Ham

Meet NZ’s top ‘fish cop’ Steve Ham
Steve Ham says poaching is a big problem on NZ’s coastline. (Image: Supplied)
Jem Traylen
Summer and the sea go hand in hand in this island nation, and in one way or another, probably all of us will have something to do with our fisheries – whether we want to catch them, eat them or maybe just see them when we go for a snorkel. Jem Traylen talks to Steve Ham, our nation’s top “fish cop” or, to give him his formal title, director of fisheries compliance at the Ministry for Primary Industries.Fisheries have been part of our history from the earliest days – they’re mentioned in Article Two...

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