A fisherman from Lincoln has been fined £35,000 and his Isle of Man licence suspended for 12 months for possessing undersized Whelk in Manx Waters.
Fisheries Officers boarded the vessel, Julia Anne FD5, last Tuesday afternoon (22 November) near the Point of Ayre and discovered the vessel’s catch to be undersized. The vessel was escorted to Douglas where it was detained and a further inspection revealed that 19.5% of the catch of Whelk was below the legal minimum size of 75mm.
The master, Dinars Lugan from Lincoln, appeared before a special sitting of the Court in Douglas on Friday 25 November, where he received the £35,000 fine and £125 costs as well as the vessels’ gear confiscated and the value of the catch awarded to the Department.
Clare Barber MHK, Minister for Environment, Food and Agriculture commented:
‘The Department is committed to ensuring the conservation of fishing in the Isle of Man.
‘This detention and subsequent conviction gives a clear message to vessels operating within Manx Territorial Waters that they must all abide by the regulations, to maintain a fishery that will be viable and sustainable for all.'
