Article in last week's Wexford People

Message

#1 Post by **Bradan** » Tue Nov 01, 2005 12:12 pm

A man was fined a total of €750 with €500 costs by when he pleaded guilty to five illegal fishing offences.

The defendant was observed by fishery officers taking fish from a net off Carne Pier on June 4, 2004 when he was not licensed to do so.

The defendant's solicitor said the officers arrived at the pier at 7.45 a.m. He saw the defendant going out in a boat at 9 a.m. and taking in a haul from a net and setting a second net. He did not have a licence and was not entitled by law to engage in net fishing.

She said he caught a sea trout, some sea bass and other fish. The boat and nets were confiscated. He had previous convictions for fishery offences.

The defendant's solicitor said her client apologised to the court. He was fishing for recreational purposes only.

The nets were designed to catch dog fish and the amount of fish he caught was quite small.

The boat and nets confiscated by the Eastern Regional Fishery Board were estimated to be worth €3,500. The defendant undertook not to fish in that area again.

#2 Post by **kieran** » Tue Nov 01, 2005 12:31 pm

Hi

The defendant undertook not to fish in that area again

But sure there's lots more fish in OTHER parts of the sea... and the only reason he was prosecuted was probably because the local commercial netsmen shopped him.

I loved the bit about his defence / solicitor claiming he was only engaged in "recreational fishing"... and his love of "dogfish" that well known culinary delight beloved of restauranteurs who will pay loadsamoney for them, whereas we all know that bass and sea-trout taste just rubbish!

Shoot me now...

We'll have to invent a "happy Monday" column for good news stories given the bad news stories are so prevalent. :wink:

x · #3 Post by x » Tue Nov 01, 2005 12:34 pm

Mind you, he'll have to get another boat and nets first! Ought to slow him down some :lol:

#4 Post by **Bradan** » Tue Nov 01, 2005 1:03 pm

Sandman wrote:Mind you, he'll have to get another boat and nets first! Ought to slow him down some :lol:

Unfortunately the article didn't specify if the boat was confiscated permanently. The fisheries board can confiscate vehicles, boats, etc used in the commission of an offence, but then have to apply for a forfeiture order from the courts, otherwise in a lot of cases the boat is handed back. Usually the board has to obtain a conviction before they can apply for the forfeiture, that will probably be the next step.

x · #5 Post by x » Tue Nov 01, 2005 1:10 pm

Might be worth ringing the the FB concerned and asking. They might have a boat auction coming up... :lol:

#6 Post by **Bob** » Sun Nov 06, 2005 11:31 pm

net fishing for dogfish recreationally - priceless - that solicitor should provide defense for death row inmates - they would definitely "get off the hook" :D

Fun aside - its a serious problem in wexford and that was tip of the iceberg stuff.

The dogfish population will be under commercial pressure if this keeps up - lol.

Why the hell are the fines not heavier and enforced properly??? I think this little episode (while very entertaining) has shown the farcical nature of the current system

sama · #7 Post by **sama** » Mon Nov 07, 2005 3:21 pm

how come the french/spanish trawlers which have arrested by the navy are not conficated they do a lot more damage to fish stocks
could chinese restruants be conficated that would stop them buying/selling poached bass
the guy with the net was a bit of a soft touch just outside the peir
Quote
tip of the iceberg
that iceberg covers ireland
art.