Luxury crayfish trips cost Queenstown company two $1m choppers

Luxury helicopter trips to gather crayfish for a high-end dining experience have cost a Queenstown company two aircraft worth more than $1 million each.

The Helicopter Line (THL) was sentenced on four charges under the Fisheries Act in the Queenstown District Court on Tuesday for its part in illegally taking and selling crayfish in 2022.

The company was fined $12,000 and ordered to forfeit two Airbus AS350 helicopters used in the offending to the Crown. The helicopters were valued at more than $1m each.

In 2022, THL provided flights as part of its collaborative heli-crayfish experience with The Rees Hotel.

Customers were flown from Queenstown to remote locations in Fiordland and Milford. In a promotional video, THL said while customers waited on a remote West Coast beach, a diver would be sent to “go and get your lunch”.

It was marketed to tourists as showcasing “amazing fresh produce of New Zealand”.

A diver would take the maximum recreational limit of six crayfish, entertain customers with facts about crayfish, allow them to take photos, then put the crayfish in a pod outside the helicopter.

The crayfish were then provided to The Rees Hotel for its dining service. THL charged the hotel between $2541.50 and $4650.

Under the Fisheries Act 1996, any seafood used as part of a commercial business must be sourced under a valid commercial permit.

Fisheries New Zealand regional manager south Garreth Jay said a fishery officer previously directed the company in writing to cease offering a premium adventure sightseeing package involving the taking and sale of crayfish.

“Under the Fisheries Act, a commercial fishing permit is required to take any fish for the purpose of sale.

“Any use of seafood as part of a business’ commercial activities is considered sale under the Act.”

At the time, none of the parties held a permit.

THL was the final party to be sentenced. Anyone claiming an interest in the helicopters may apply to the court for relief from forfeiture within 35 working days.

In August, Invercargill diver David Casey was fined $3750 for illegally gathering crayfish for the helicopter company.

In July 2025, The Rees Hotel was fined $22,000 for illegally selling recreationally caught crayfish and failing to keep proper records.

Company chief executive Mark Rose was discharged without conviction.

Brianna McIlraith is a Queenstown-based reporter for Open Justice covering courts in the lower South Island. She has been a journalist since 2018 and has had a strong interest in business and financial journalism.