Dutch trawler prosecuted for illegal mackerel fishing in UK seas
A Marine Management Organisation press release, 10th March 2015, reports: “On 6th March 2015 at Bodmin Magistrates courts the master and owner of the Dutch registered trawler Frank Bonefaas SCH-72 were each convicted following guilty pleas after being charged by the Marine Management Organisation (MMO) with illegally retaining on board mackerel caught in the mackerel box.
“Fishing vessels seeking to fish in this area of the sea are required to provide a minimum of 24 hours’ notice prior to entering the area and to inform the MMO of the total quantities of mackerel on-board prior to entering. Vessels equipped with regulated fishing gears are then limited to catches which are made up of not more than 15% of mackerel
“The court heard how the vessel, a 119.65 metre pelagicpelagic The ecological area consisting of the open sea away from the coast and the ocean bottom. The pelagic zone contains organisms such as surface seaweeds, many species of fish and sharks and some mammals, such as whales and dolphins. Pelagic animals may remain solely in the pelagic zone or may move among zones. trawler had, between 22nd February 2014 and 13th March 2014, entered the mackerel box and fished for mackerel and other species without previously notifying the MMO. The vessel was boarded on 13th March 2014 by Royal Navy fishery protection officers from HMS Severn. The catch was inspected and the vessel was found to have 632,166kgs of mackerel on board which was all deemed to have been caught inside the mackerel box. The court heard that the value of the catch was in the region of £436,557.
“The court fined the master, Piet Hoek of Katwijle aan Zee, Netherlands £15,000 and ordered a payment of a victim surcharge of £120 and £125.88 towards the costs of the prosecution.
“The Dutch company which owns the vessel, Diepzee Visserij Maatschappij Cornelis Vrolijk II BV, was ordered to pay £38,000, a victim surcharge of £120 and prosecution costs of £5,000. Additionally, the owner was ordered to pay a fine of 10% of the value of the fish (£43,650).
Source: Marine Management Organisation, 10th March 2015, www.gov.uk/government/news/master-and-owner-ordered-to-pay-over-102000-for-illegal-mackerel-catch
Marinet observes: The MMO informs us that the value of the mackerel catch was £436,557, and that the value of the fines and costs was, in total, £102,015.88. What the MMO fails to tells us in its Press Release is whether the catch was confiscated. If it was not and it was sold, then this Dutch vessel made £334,541.22 for this act of illegal fishing. And, if it was sold, was it sold into the UK market or abroad? Additionally, what was the cost of mobilising the MMO fisheries protection ship to monitor and go and board the trawling boat belonging to the company who have 23% of the British mackerel quota? We ask: is not the appropriate punishment for this offence to withdraw the quota from this company?
