JAN DE WIT UK157

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Owner of trawler pleaded guilty for using incorrect gear

The owner of the "Hendrika Jacoba (GY127)" pleaded guilty at Liverpool Magistrates’ Court on Sep 13, 2012, to failing to incorporate a square mesh panel within a trawl net of mesh size range of 70 to 119 mm, and for failing to record the correct gear in the EU logbook. The vessel was boarded by officers from the HMS Severn on Apr 14 2011. Investigations at sea revealed that the port side net was 103.2 mm and the starboard side net was 104.5 mm, but the logbook stated a mesh size of 120 mm. When using a mesh size of under 120 mm, square mesh panels must be fitted within the net as a technical conservation measure, and neither net had these panels. The owner was fined £5,500 for the two offences, and was ordered to pay £3,450 in investigation and court costs.