A former commercial fisher who illegally sold seaweed online, has been fined $50,000. Any commercial harvest of seaweed is carefully managed through a permitting and reporting system. In November 2022, Fishery Officers discovered an online post advertising liquid seaweed fertiliser in 1,000-litre containers for $500, and $20 for a 20-litre bucket. A search warrant of a property found 14 of these containers of liquid seaweed fertiliser. Analysis of the seaweed found it to be Macrocystis pyrifera, which can be used for fertiliser and in some food products.