A Maori elder is describing the actions of an unlawful shellfish taker - as disgraceful

Christchurch hairdresser Haiqiang Lin's copped a two thousand-dollar-fine, after taking three times the legal limit of catseyes and paua - from Akaroa Harbour.

All but one of the paua was undersized.

Local Onuku kaumatua George Tikao says it's very disappointing.

He says people stealing and taking over the limit is a setback to increasing paua numbers in the harbour.