Christoph Gouy, skipper of the French-registered fishing vessel Pierre D’Ambre, pleaded guilty last week to using bottom-towed fishing gear in a prohibited area of the Offshore Brighton MCZ this April, and other related offences.
In total, the fines, victim surcharge and costs in the case cost the skipper and owners over £40,000, as well as the inconvenience of a trip to Newcastle, where the MMO is headquartered, for the court appearance.
FN understands that the 14m trawler was not detained at sea, with the prosecution based on remote monitoring and analysis of vessel tracks, supported by other documentary evidence. The vessel was detected in the MCZ three times in April, having already been issued with specific warnings about its activity in the same area.
The Marine Protected Areas Bottom Towed Fishing Gear Byelaw 2023 came into force on 22 March, 2024, after a 50-day notification period. The day before the offences took place, the vessel was notified about the upcoming restrictions. The Offshore Brighton MCZ, located approximately 45km south of Selsey Bill, West Sussex, is one of 13 MPAs where bottom-towed gears are now banned.
Peter Clark, director of operations at the MMO, said: “Effective enforcement of byelaws like this one is essential to ensure our MPAs deliver real ecosystem benefits. This successful prosecution shows that we will act decisively to uphold the rules and safeguard the long-term future of our marine environment.”
This story was taken from the latest issue of Fishing News. For more up-to-date and in-depth reports on the UK and Irish commercial fishing sector, subscribe to Fishing News here or buy the latest single issue for just £3.50 here.
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