Man fined £25k for illegal fishing

A man from England has been fined £25,000 for illegal fishing in Manx waters.

Dinars Lugans, of Lincoln, Master of the fishing vessel Prosperity FD 537, was also ordered to pay £125 in costs during a court appearance on Tuesday where he pleaded guilty to retaining whelk under the minimum landing size.

DEFA Sea Fishery Officers boarded Lugans' craft on December 11 while at sea - 93 bags of whelk were found on board - over 64 per cent of the product was recorded as being under the legal landing size.

The catch - valued at around £3,500 - was forfeited and a notice of suspension of the fishing licence was issued.

Environment, Food and Agriculture Minister, Geoffrey Boot, says there are strict laws in place to protect fishing stocks in Manx waters.