Thursday 15:34
Substantial fines and legal costs totalling £68,500 for large-scale fishery offences are to be paid by the owners and master of the Eder Sands (BM257), a British registered fishing vessel administered by Ondar Fishing Ltd., Swansea Crown Court ruled today.
The case was brought by the Department for the Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra) and culminated in the sentencing today.
Welcoming the court's verdict Defra's Milford-based District Inspector of Fisheries, Martin Hearn, said:
"This hefty fine is in scale with the magnitude of these offences. Fines are a clear deterrent to any fishermen tempted to try the same tricks.
"The Government will resolutely pursue those that flout fisheries law. We all want a long-term future for our fishing industry and dishonesty like this undermines that future for all fishermen."
The Eder Sands case was defended and was heard before His Honour Judge Burr. The owners and master pled guilty to three counts of fishery offences, notably:
* Owner - failure to record in the Eder Sands log book quantities of Angler Fish retained on board between 19 January - 17 February 2000; * Owner - from 7 February - 13 February 2000 submitted landing declaration which failed to record quantities of Angler Fish on board; * Master - from 13 October - 12 December 2000 made alterations to the Eder Sands log book.
The charges against the Eder Sands relate to a fishing trip in the Western Waters and 8, 000 kilograms of under-recorded Angler Fish worth £48, 000. A port-based inspection of the vessel was carried out in December 2000, where Defra Fisheries Inspectors suspected alterations had been made to the fishing log-book and inaccurate landing declarations submitted.
Angler Fish has a high value in Spain. Landed as 'Kales', in December 2000 the fish was worth £12 per kilogram.
Notes to editors:
1. This case was heard at Swansea Crown Court, with verdicts and sentence delivered today.
2. Charges were brought under the Sea Fishing (Enforcement of Community Control Measures) Order 2000 (SI 2000 No. 51).
3. Fines and costs were set as follows: * Fine:Owners - £30, 000; Master - £500 * Costs:Owners - £38, 000
4. UK quota (total allowable catch) for Angler Fish for 2003 in Area 7 of Western Waters (where the fish was caught) is 2, 843 tonnes.
5. There have been two previous court appearances for the owners and master of the Eder Sands in 1995, resulting in fines worth approximately £50, 000. Offences related to retaining fish over quota limits and fishing when quotas had closed.
6. Milford-based District Inspector of Fisheries, Martin Hearn, is available for interview via Defra press officer, Tammy Wilson, on 0207 238 6027.
Press enquiries: 0207 238 6027 Public enquiries: 08459 335577 Press notices are available on our website http://www.defra.gov.uk
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