After a fisherman was fined $2000 for fishing in the restricted area of high voltage near Cook Strait power cable, the national Grid Operator, Transpower has alarmed fishermen and divers to stay alert while they dive or fish near the areas having electricity cables in Cook Strait.

The accused fisherman Derek Lee said at the Wellington District Court that he was fishing in a protected area, which is 7km wide zone from Fighting Bay in the Marlborough Sounds to Oteranga Bay on Wellington's south-west coast. He was caught in Oteranga Bay in September last year by the police.

Lee also shared that he had drifted into the zone and while he was speaking to the Police, a diver came in the restricted zone with a spear gun and crayfish. It was later found that the cables were not damaged. Lee's case had a maximum fine of $20,000 and the Crown also demanded a fine of $9000.

Judge Ian Mill ruled that the though the cable harms were less, the convicted was fined $2000.

The General Manager Grid performance of Transpower Kieran Devine said that shielding high voltage of the submarine cables was important for making sure that North and South Islands supply of electricity remains safe.