Court fines two Spanish captains €28,000 for illegal fishing

Two captains of a Spanish boat yesterday pleaded guilty to fishing in Maltese waters and were fined €28,000.

Antonio Hernandes Pastor and Ricardo Santiago Gago admitted to fishing illegally at about 5 a.m. on Monday and failing to declare about four tonnes of prawns.

The Cuidad de Cartegena was intercepted by the Armed Forces of Malta after being sighted by a patrol boat about 22 miles south-south-east of Malta. After instructing the fishermen to haul aboard their prawn fishing traps, the boat was escorted to Grand Harbour, the AFM said. Once berthed, the boat and its crew were handed over to the fisheries' authorities and the police to conduct their investigations.

Police Inspector Alfred Mallia, assisted by Senior Counsel to the Republic Donatella Frendo Dimech, prosecuted. Lawyers Ian Farrugia and Aaron Mifsud Bonnici were defence counsel.

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Article © Allied Newspapers Ltd., printed on Tuesday, January 6, 2009. This article is for personal use only, and should not be distributed.

Comments

lgalea (on 20/11/08)

They were just given a slap on the wrist by being fined about 10% of the catch value.
In Australia they would have been sent to prison, fined and their boat destroyed.

G Sammut (on 20/11/08)

The boat and catch should be confiscated also. This probably was not the only time they were fishing in Maltese waters. Such a harsh punishment will make others think twice before entering Maltese territorial waters.

Keith Vella (on 20/11/08)

Might I ask on the current whereabouts of the illegal catch? Four tonnes of prawns amount to a considerable commercial value.