Guilty verdict for illegal fishing activity west of Blasket Islands

A Dutch national and master of Wiron 5, a UK registered pelagic freezer vessel, was fined €500 and ordered to forfeit fish and gear to the value of €400,000 at Cork Circuit Cork on July 27.

Wiron 5, found guilty of illegal fishing activity 30 miles west of the Blasket island. Photo Niall Duffy

Mr Meijvogel was found guilty by a jury of having automatic grading equipment on board which was fitted in a way that did not ensure the immediate freezing of graded fish and did not prevent the return of marine organisms to the sea. (Fitting of grading equipment is permissible; however it is essential for conserving fisheries resources that grading is not a means for selecting the most profitable fish to retain.)

The case arose following a routine joint inspection of Wiron 5 by a Sea-Fisheries Protection officer and Naval officers from LÉ Samuel Beckett last February. The vessel was one of two detained by the Naval Service for alleged breaches of EU fishery regulations approximately 30 miles west of the Blasket Islands and escorted to the port of Cobh.

“This is an important outcome for the fishing industry. High grading is an illegal practice that can significantly affect the sustainability of fish stocks. With the support of the Naval Service, the SFPA is committed to implementing the new Landing Obligation and detecting all illegal fishing. This result is significant and is due to the dedicated work of the teams in the SFPA and the naval service,” remarked Susan Steele, SFPA chair.