The owner of a small fishing vessel has been fined a total of £15,628 after being prosecuted by the Maritime & Coastguard Agency for operating an unsafe vessel and failing to comply with the small fishing vessel code of practice.
The owner of a small fishing vessel has been fined a total of £15,628 after being prosecuted by the Maritime & Coastguard Agency for operating an unsafe vessel and failing to comply with the small fishing vessel code of practice.
John Lake, director of John Lake Shellfish Ltd of Kings Lynn and owner of the 13-metre fishing vessel Audrey Patricia, appeared at Kings Lynn Magistrates Court where he pleaded guilty to both offences. Fines of £4500 for each offence were imposed, plus a victim surcharge of £170 and £6458 towards the cost of the prosecution.
The vessel had been subject to a pre-arranged inspection by the MCA at Boston and was found to have a catalogue of deficiencies related to emergency procedures and lifesaving equipment, which resulted in the vessel being detained.
The deficiencies included emergency drills not being carried out by the crew, its liferaft being nearly four years beyond its service date, missing and out-of-date emergency flares, fire extinguishers out of date, insufficient serviceable lifejackets and emergency fuel shut-off not working. It was clear the vessel had been neglected by its owner and was not in a safe condition to go to sea. The vessel was being used as part of Mr Lake’s shellfish business.
In sentencing the magistrates commented that these were serious matters considering what might have happened.
‘The condition of this vessel, as an operating fishing vessel, was wholly unacceptable,’ said MCA Surveyor Matt Turner who had inspected the vessel.
‘The owner had failed in his responsibility of ensuring the vessel was in a safe condition to put to sea and comply with the small fishing vessel codes of practice. This failure had put the vessel and its crew at unnecessary risk, the consequences of which could have left Mr Lake facing more serious charges. The MCA is determined, with our stakeholders, to improve the safety of fishermen. Owners who fail in their responsibilities in this way will be prosecuted.’
