Fisherman fined £12,000 for unlawful catch

Thu, 27 Oct 2016

Christopher Thomson was unlawfully fishing on board Tobrach N.

The skipper of a UK-registered fishing boat has been fined £12,000 for unlawfully fishing in Manx waters.

Christopher Thomson from Kirkcudbright in Scotland was caught operating in Manx waters by satellite tracking of his boat's transponder.

Knowing the vessel wasn't licenced to fish in the area, the Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture sent a vessel to intercept Thomson just east of the Chicken Rock lighthouse last Thursday.

Thomson was escorted to Douglas by the DEFA team where his vessel was detained, and admitted fishing without a licence in an appearance before the Deputy High Bailiff.

Thomson - who had only been in command of the vessel for two days - must also pay £50 in costs and forfeits his catch of queen scallops, which was worth more than £4,500.