Two Castletown fishermen have been fined £7,500 each for breaching Manx fishing regulations.

Iain David Quine, aged 53, of Malew Street, and Robert Michael Quine, aged 57, of Hope Street, admitted exceeding the permitted number of lobster and crab pots allowed for a boat.

They also admitted not having the necessary pot tags on some pots being used.

The regulations state that there is a maximum number of pots per licence of 500, of which up to 300 can be used within a three-mile limit.

However, the Quines’ vessel, the Nancy Ellen (CT58), was found to be 260 pots over the limit on April 9.

It was said that the two men had been using the sea bed as a storage place for their pots but they accepted that they had bated them, so technically they were fishing.

Defence advocate Peter Russell, representing both men, asked for his clients to be given six months to pay the fines.

The two fishermen pleaded guilty to two counts of a fishing for lobster and crab offence.

The maximum fine for the offence is £100,000.

Mr Russell said that the Quines owned a family business and had been in the fishing industry for more than 26 years.

He said that the offence involving the pot tags had taken place when the business was going through a transitional period.

Fisheries officers had confirmed that the Quines had assisted in conservation and preservation of the fishing industry in the past by allowing their vessel to be used as a research vessel.

High Bailiff Jayne Hughes said that the size of the £100,000 maximum fine for the offence in summary court reflected the view Tynwald held in maintaining Manx fishing around the Isle of Man and ensuring that those who breached the regulation understand the consequences.

’It cannot be that anyone who commits offences such as these benefits from their offending,’ said the High Bailiff.

The two men were given until January 31, 2020 to pay the fine.