Marine and fisheries compliance: enforcement activity

Prosecutions from beginning of 2017 to date

• In April 2022 at Stornoway Sheriff Court a male was convicted of deploying fishing gear in the Wester Ross Marine Protected Area and was fined £3211.43
• In March 2022 at Glasgow Sheriff Court a company was convicted on two counts of failure to submit Buyer Sales Notes and was fined £6000 and £8000.
• In October 2021 a male pled guilty and was fined £2000 for a breach of the Loch Sunart to Sound of Jura Marine Protected Area.
• In October 2021 in Kilmarnock Sheriff Court a male was convicted of deployment of fishing gear in a Marine Protected Area and was fined £2,200.  In relation to a      further charge of breach of the South Arran Marine Protected Area, a not guilty plea was accepted.
• In Lerwick Sheriff Court in June 2021 a male pled guilty to non submission of statutory returns and was fined £3000.
• In January 2020 a 51 year old man pled guilty at Edinburgh Sheriff Court to breach of the Shellfish (Restrictions on Taking by Unlicensed Fishing Boats) (Scotland)     Order 2017 (“the hobby fisherman regulations”) and was fined £500.
• On 25 January 2019 at Kilmarnock Sheriff Court, a 44 year old man pled guilty to failing to submit electronic logbook data and was fined £2,500.
• On 14 January 2019 at Portree Sheriff Court, a 45 year old man was found guilty of failing to submit logsheets within 48 hours of landing and was fined £2,000.
•  In January 2019 a 34 year old man pled guilty to logbook offences and was fined £800.
• On 27 November 2018 at Peterhead Sheriff Court, a 38 year old man pled guilty to a net offence and was fined £3,200.
• In April 2018 at Stranraer Sheriff Court, a 36 year old man was found guilty of carrying on board his vessel, gear capable of electrofishing and was fined £2,000.
• On 27 July 2017 at  Campbeltown Sheriff Court, a 38 year old man pled guilty to failing to have a fully operational satellite monitoring device installed on his vessel and was fined £450.
• On 19 July 2017 at Lerwick Sheriff Court, a 36 year old man was found guilty of failing to submit FISH1 forms and was fined £1,200.
• On 11 July 2017 at Banff Sheriff Court, a 47 year old man was found guilty of retaining fish after the fishery was closed and was fined £1,000.
• On 25 May 2017 at Lerwick Sheriff Court, a 59 year old man was found guilty of having an automatic grader on board his pelagic vessel and was fined £5,000
• In April 2017 at Stranraer Sheriff Court, a 26 year old man was found guilty of failing to submit FISH1 forms and was fined £3,000.
• In March 2017 at Stranraer Sheriff Court, a 24 year old man pled guilty to carrying on board his vessel gear capable of electrofishing and had gear confiscated. At the same time a not guilty plea for failing to submit FISH 1 forms was accepted.