Anglo Spanish trawler to pay £194,000 for breaking quota rules – Fishupdate.com

Anglo Spanish trawler to pay £194,000 for breaking quota rules Published:  27 November, 2007

THE master and owners of the British registered trawler Navegante Magallenes have been ordered to pay £194,975 in fines and costs for breaking quota rules.

In the case at Truro Crown Court brought by the Marine and Fisheries Agency, master Salvador Otero was fined £1,000 on each of five specimen counts of failing to submit accurate log books and five of failing to submit accurate landing declarations.

Owners North West Fish Ltd., of Buckfastleigh, Devon were fined £100,000 for the same offences. Its directors Luis Fernandez and Carlos Fernandez, who were jointly charged, were fined £10,000 each.

The specimen counts related to under recording of quota species like anglerfish by the Navegante Magallenes between March 2005 and June 2006.

All defendants changed their pleas to guilty after the prosecution withdrew two counts of false accounting against the master, and the ten specimen counts of log book and landing declaration offences against company secretary Carmen Jimenez.

Costs totalling £64,975 were awarded against North West Fish Ltd.

After the case MFA District Inspector, Justin Williams said: “It has been a long, complicated and protracted court case.

“It clearly gives the message that the MFA will actively pursue and prosecute offenders who cheat on the quota system.”

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