Fisheries patrol leads to prosecution

19 July 2012

Fisheries patrols of Jersey’s territorial waters have led to the successful prosecution of the crew of a French beam trawler.

David Sylla and Nicholas Leridez, skippers of the Cherbourg registered trawler Louis Pauline, both admitted fishing in a zone within Jersey waters without authorisation, beam trawling with a vessel with engine power exceeding 221kw, and beam trawling in the Granville Bay area without the correct trawl permit. The offences took place between 3 March and 13 July 2011. They were fined a total of £10,000 in the Magistrate’s Court on 16 July 2012.

On 3 May 2011 the Louis Pauline was seen by fisheries officers in a zone of Jersey’s territorial waters for which the access of French vessels is restricted. When an attempt was made to approach the Louis Pauline on 3 May the vessel’s speed increased and she moved into French waters.

Examination of the trawler’s vessel monitoring system showed that from 3 March last year she was regularly in the Jersey territorial sea and travelling at low speeds, indicating that she was trawling.

Fisheries officer David Yettram said that investigation analysis of the vessel’s satellite monitoring system and fishing log book showed that the Louis Pauline beam trawled in Jersey waters on 31 separate days and entered the restricted area on 12 of those days.

“The Louis Pauline is not based in one of the French ports within the Granville Bay Area and was using a restricted method in a restricted zone and landing species that could otherwise have been caught by local French, Jersey and Guernsey boats that hold the correct permits,” said Mr Yettram. “The vigilance of the fisheries team has resulted in a successful prosecution and hopefully sends a clear message that Jersey’s waters are being actively monitored and patrolled.”