After a prosecution brought by the UK Marine Management Organization (MMO), Brighton Magistrates Court ordered the Master and vessel owner of the fishing vessel ‘Jennah D’ to pay £8,159 for fisheries offences on 11 July 2018.
The court heard that on two occasions (2 and 3 January 2017) the ‘Jennah D’ surpassed the 1% by-catch limit for bass. On the first case bass made up 36.02% of the total catch. On the second case bass made up 69.73% of the total catch. The total quantity of bass landed during these trips was 1,198.42kgs with a value of £9630.18.
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When interviewed by MMO marine officers, the Master stated that he thought he was working under 2016 rules, but it was pointed out that MMO offices were open on 3 January 2017 to answer any queries and full guidance had been published on the website on 29 December 2016.
The Masster pleaded guilty and was ordered to pay a fine of £4,699, costs of £3,290.40 and a £170 victim surcharge.
According to a spokesperson for the MMO, ‘bass conservation is vital and this case highlights the importance of keeping up to date with the latest rules and regulations.’
