Fishing boat skipper and company fined total of £10,000 after catching undersized shellfish

A fishing boat skipper and company have been fined a total of £10,000 after catching undersized shellfish.

AK Marine Ltd and Liam Gregory Cain, both of Glen Maye, appeared before High Bailiff Jayne Hughes at Douglas Courthouse.

Both admitted one count of landing undersized sea fish on January 27 this year.

Prosecutor Barry Swain told the hearing officers from the Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture inspected a catch of whelks after noticing many appeared small.

The court heard 11.7 per cent of the whelks measured under the minimum 75 millimetres – crews are only allowed up to ten per cent.

All the fish were returned to the sea unharmed.

21 year old Cain admitted two new crew members hadn’t sorted the whelks properly, and the court heard both members of staff had lost their jobs.

Cain was fined £2,500 and ordered to pay costs of £50, while AK Marine was fined £7,500 and will also have to pay £140 costs and £1,084 compensation.