The skipper of a Peel registered fishing vessel was fined ?500 with ?100 costs by the High Bailiff at a Court in Douglas today (Tuesday 22nd December) for landing undersized lobsters.
Mr Allan Kermode was skippering the small fishing vessel Cushlin PL 5 on the afternoon of the 9th September, when Isle of Man Sea Fisheries Officers observed him landing a quantity of lobsters onto the beach at Niarbyl.
The officers found within the vessels catch four lobsters that were below the minimum landing size of 87mm carapace length. Mr Kermode pleaded guilty to the offence.
Mr Moyle gave credit to Mr Kermode for his guilty plea, however, he stated that if Mr Kermode had landed in excess of the four lobsters then the fine would have been appreciably higher.
The Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, Phil Gawne said, "The Department is committed to the conservation and preservation of the stocks of lobster around the Manx coast.
"The minimum landing size is an important piece of legislation to ensure the sustainability of our lobster stocks. Fishermen who flout these rules put not only their own livelihoods, but those of their colleagues at risk. This is not acceptable."
