Italian fishermen fined Lm16,657

The six Italian fishermen caught lowering nets within the 25-mile conservation zone last Thursday have been fined Lm16,657, a spokesman for the parliamentary secretariat responsible for agriculture and fisheries said yesterday.

The crew of the 28-metre trawler Europa MV, registered at Molfetta di Bari, was caught breaching European and Maltese laws when it was spotted about 18.5 nautical miles northwest of Gozo.

Upon boarding the vessel which had its nets lowered in the sea, a party from an Armed Forces patrol boat found about eight crates of fish, the spokesman said. The Italian boat was escorted to the Grand Harbour and berthed in Barriera Wharf, next to the Fisheries Directorate.

In terms of the provisions of the Fisheries Conservation and Managing Act, the Director of Fisheries accused skipper Leone Gassi and his crew of breaching the law that lays down that foreign fishing vessels are banned from fishing in a 25-mile conservation area unless authorised.

"The Italians pleaded guilty and were asked to pay Lm16,667 (around €40,000), a third of the maximum penalty (Lm50,000) that the fishermen would have had to pay if found guilty in court. The crates of fish found on the trawler were also confiscated," the spokesman said.

Had the fishermen pleaded not guilty, the matter would have been taken to court, where they would risk a maximum fine and having their vessel confiscated, which could have meant an expense of some Lm300,000 to the fishermen.

The spokesman said the fishermen had 30 days to pay the fine and in the meantime the fishing boat would be withheld or a bank guarantee equivalent to €40,000 would have to be lodged with the Fisheries Conservation and Control Division.

The 25-mile zone is covered by Maltese law and by an EU council regulation (Waters around Malta), endorsed by the Council of Ministers last April.

"The new EU council regulation enhances the importance of conserving the fish stocks within the 25-mile zone. Therefore, all fishing vessels need to have the necessary authorisation and fishing licence to fish therein," the spokesman for the parliamentary secretariat said.

He said such enforcement proves that the management of the 25-mile zone is effectively managed by the Maltese authorities.

The fishermen were expected to forward the money yesterday evening and to leave Malta soon after.