Two fishing boat skippers and the companies which own the boats have been fined a total of £67,000 for illegal fishing in Manx waters.

The case was described by Deputy High Bailiff Jayne Hughes as a ’deliberate and sustained period of illegal fishing in Manx waters’.

She added: ’This is one of the more serious offences of its type that has appeared before the court in recent times.’

George Lou N Limited and Philomena Trawlers Limited, both based at Port Street, Annan, Dumfriesshire were each fined £20,000 after their director Thomas Nicholson admitted unlicensed fishing on their behalf.

Skipper of the George Lou N Mark Frood, of Georgetown Road, Dumfries was fined £15,000 while Philomena skipper Craig Petre, of Salterbeck Drive, Workington, was fined £12,000 after both pleading guilty to unlicensed fishing and failing to have an operational Automated Identification System (AIS) on board.

Frood was also ordered to pay £23,532 compensation with Petre ordered to pay £22,791, the value of their illegal catch.

All the fines must be paid before the men can leave the island.

Prosecutor Mark Benson told the court how information had been received by the Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture, from another fisherman that the George Lou N TN38 and the Philomena TN37 had been fishing in Manx waters.

This was despite neither vessel having any licence to do so.

An examination of both boats’ internal transponder logs showed that the George Lou N had encroached into Manx waters between November 7 and 14 catching an estimated 7,449kg of king scallops, said to be worth £23,532.

Logs on the Philomena showed her illegal catch valued at £22,791.

Both skippers admitted turning off their AIS which identifies to authorities where a vessel is.

Defending Frood in court, advocate Ian Kermode said: ’Mr Frood would say he made a mistake in entering Manx waters.

’He was using an outdated plotter which was not accurate.

’That has now been updated to give an accurate reading. It was not deliberate, he genuinely thought he was just outside Manx territorial waters.

’He expresses his regret and says it will never happen again.’

Mr Kermode went on to say that he understood that Mr Nicholson would be paying all the fines, including the ones for the two skippers.

Paul Glover, represented Petre and echoed Mr Kermode’s comments.

’Mr Petre was using a rather outdated system.

’He thought he was walking a tightrope but it’s not a case where he was constantly in Manx waters, he was dipping in and out so to speak,’ said Mr Glover.

Skipper error

Mr Nicholson declined the use of an advocate and said that he could only put it down to skipper error.

He estimated that the George Lou N made a profit last year of £67,000 while the Philomena’s profit was £127,000.

Deputy High Bailiff Jayne Hughes said that the maximum penalty for the offences in summary court was £100,000 which reflected the importance Tynwald attached to the issue.

’This is one of the more serious offences of its type that has appeared before the court in recent times,’ said Mrs Hughes.

’Both vessels have been fishing for a period of days.

’The AIS was turned off and you accepted it was deliberately turned off. It was only due to the vigilance of another vessel that these matters are brought before the court today.

’It was a deliberate and sustained period of illegal fishing in Manx waters.’

Both companies must also pay prosecution costs of £500 each while Frood and Petre must pay £250 costs each.