Ruteru Sufia has been sentenced to 18 months' jail for taking 366 pāua from Makara Beach.

A Porirua man has been sentenced to 18 months' jail for illegally taking 366 pāua over two days from Wellington's Makara Beach.

Ruteru Sufia, who has a previous conviction for fisheries-related offences, was carrying 145 shucked pāua in a backpack when he was caught by Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) officers.

The 56-year-old was caught in the same place the next day after returning to pick up the remaining 221.

SUPPLIED Sufia took 145 pāua on the first day, and returned the next day to pick up the remaining 221.

The daily limit in the area is 10 per person, with a minimum legal size of 125 millimetres. Sufia's haul also included 70 undersized pāua.

He had previously pleaded guilty to the offence and was sentenced in Porirua District Court on Wednesday.

MPI eastern and lower North Island team manager Mike Green said he hoped the sentence would send a strong message that poaching would not be tolerated.

As well as the jail term, Sufia's vehicle and gear were forfeited, and he was banned from fishing for three years.

Sufia had shown a "blatant disregard for the rules", Green said.

"The sentencing reflects the seriousness of the offending by Mr Sufia, and shows there is no tolerance for people that continue to break the law.

"The rules are there for a reason. We need to protect the future sustainability of our fisheries by limiting how much can be caught.

"When people just take what they want, it threatens the health and future of our fish stocks."

With recreational fishing due to pick up over summer, Green said officers would be out and about to patrol coastlines.