New Zealand seafood giant Sanford has been hit with a NZD36,000 (€21,700/$26,400) fine and the forfeiture of one of its trawlers in a court ruling made today in a long-running illegal fishing case against the company.

Judge S J O’Driscoll made the judgement at Christchurch District Court in a case brought against Sanford by the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI). It refers to a charge against Sanford's 64 meter factory vessel San Waitaki, which in 2017 was found to be bottom trawling in a benthic protected area (BPA) .