Fines and costs totalled £40,224.
In the case brought by the Marine and Fisheries Agency the magistrate levied fines of £26,784.72 and awarded costs of £12,500 on the company and fines of £690 and costs of £250 on the master.
The master Malcolm Saunders aged 51 of Mevagissey, Cornwall and the owners I.F. Ltd of Plymouth (part of Interfish Ltd) had fished on three consecutive nights within the Trevose closed area off the North Cornish coast in February last year. This is a closed area to protect breeding fish stocks, but the master chose using the cover of darkness to work inside of the closed area.
On detailed examination of the vessels EU logbook and diary it was also found that the master had mis-recorded the area of capture of Plaice and Dover Sole on two separate voyages, he also submitted an inaccurate notification of catch onboard, before landing at Penzance.
The magistrate said that the rules are there to protect fish stocks for the benefit of all and those that obey the regulations should be protected from those that break them.
After the case an MFA spokesman said that the closed area was brought into being following pressure from the fishing industry for this conservation measure, to protect breeding stocks of fish during February and March each year. The closed area is respected by the vast majority of vessels.
It is also important for quota stock management that logbooks are completed truthfully so that catches are allocated to the correct area.
