Marine Fisheries Agency
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'black' fish skippers fined at Newcastle Crown Court
Six skippers of fishing boats owned by TN Trawlers were ordered to pay a total of £12,000 in fines and costs at Newcastle Crown Court on Friday June 29th after admitting their part in landing 'black' fish at various English ports in the Irish Sea and English Channel.
Two skippers, Raymond Strachan, 39, from Sandhaven, Aberdeenshire, and Edward Black, 32, of Eaglefield, Dumfrieshire, pleaded guilty to a total of 13 specimen charges of falsifying landing declarations during the 18 month period investigated by the Marine and Fisheries Agency.
In the prosecution by the MFA, the court heard that as skipper of the TN Trawlers owned beam trawler, Seafalke, Strachan had made 43 fish landings which involved illegal activity, and Black ten between January 2004 to July 2005.
On those 53 voyages between them they had failed to declare the true quantities of plaice and dover sole landed - both species are restricted by EU quota. This so-called 'black' fish was at the time worth in the region of £260,000.
Strachan was fined a total of £3,200 with £500 costs for eight specimen counts of falsifying landing declarations. Black was fined a total of £2,500 with £500 costs on five specimen charges.
Four other skippers employed by TN Trawlers on the scallop dredgers Mattanja, Philomena, and George Lou N pleaded guilty to a total of six specimen offences of falsifying landing declarations. They had failed to declare their by catches of quota species like monkfish and Dover sole.
Steven Mundle, 34 of Anan was fined a total of £1,600 on four counts; Chris Nicholson, 26 of Annan £300 for one offence; David Patience, 32, of Peterhead £400 for one offence; Gary Adams of Castle Douglas a total £1,000 on two counts. Each was ordered to pay £500 costs.
The case is part of a larger trial which involves the owners TN Trawlers and two fish merchants who have pleaded guilty to a number of offences. A sentence hearing is scheduled for the autumn after an investigation under the Proceeds of Crime Act.
Notes to Editors:
The Marine and Fisheries Agency is an executive agency of government which is tasked with service delivery, inspection, and enforcement provided by the government to the fishing industry and other marine users in England and Wales.
The MFA has overall responsibility for the enforcement of the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) and its associated regulations within the 60,000 square miles of English and Welsh waters.
MFA's key objectives are :
* to be a key partner in the management of marine fisheries
* to enforce fisheries regulations, professionally, consistently and fairly
* to contribute to the sustainable use of the marine environment
* to provide advice which informs effective policy and helps customers abide by it.
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Marine Fisheries Agency, Press Office, Nobel House, 17 Smith
Square, London, SW1P 3JR
Website: http://www.mfa.gov.uk
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