FRENCH REGISTERED FISHING VESSEL DETAINED AT CASTLETOWNBERE PORT

French registered fishing vessel detained at Castletownbere port for suspected sea-fisheries law offences.  At a special sitting of Bantry District Court on the 19^th of August, the book of evidence was served on a fishing vessel master of the French registered fishing vessel ‘Astrid’.  The vessel was detained on the 16^th of August at Castletownbere port by Sea-Fisheries Protection Officers of the Sea-Fisheries Protection Authority (SFPA) and An Garda Síochána following the detection of suspected offences including inaccurate logbook recording of Nephrops (also known as Dublin Bay prawn) and Monkfish catches.

The Court heard that the Director of Public Prosecutions directed that the prosecution proceed on indictment in the Circuit Court. The case was returned to the October sittings of Cork Circuit Criminal Court. The Court ordered the release of the vessel subject to lodgement of a €125,000 bond.

About the SFPA

The Sea-Fisheries Protection Authority (SFPA) is the independent statutory body responsible for the regulation of the sea-fisheries and the sea-food production sectors. It promotes compliance with the EU Common Fisheries Policy, sea-fisheries law and food safety law relating to fish and fish products, verifies compliance and, where necessary, enforces it. Its mandate covers all fishing vessels operating within Ireland’s 200-mile limit, over 2,000 Irish registered fishing vessels wherever they operate, and all seafood produced in Ireland’s seafood processing companies. The SFPA operates through a network of regional port offices situated at Ireland’s main fishery harbours. For further information visit: www.sfpa.ie

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