Man fined for illegal fishing
Christopher Day, 54, from New Road in Brixham, pleaded guilty to one charge of towing a trawl within the Devon Sea Fisheries District no trawling zone under the Devon Sea Fisheries Byelaw 5.
The owner of the Elise fishing boat was spotted in the non-fishing zone off Start Point by the fisheries' own vessel, the Drum Beat of Devon on September 16 last year.
Magistrates sitting in Torquay heard that Day, who represented himself, had known he was in the wrong place, an area which has been off limits to trawlers for more than 25 years.
When fined £1,000, including £500 in costs, he told the court: "You're forcing me into bankruptcy."
David Hassall, prosecuting, said the fisheries vessel spotted the Elise and came side by side with it when Day admitted straight away to being in the wrong area.
He said: "Mr Day told the fisheries vessel he had been cut out by the ebbing tide and it was difficult to turn around back into the non-prohibited zone.
"He was an experienced fisherman operating out of Brixham and he should have known better."
The court heard that the value of the illegal catch on the day was £217.
Defending himself, Day said he had changed his trawling equipment which increased the length of the gear's wire.
He said: "I made every effort to get out of the zone."
When asked by magistrates what sort of financial means he had, he said he had no income at all but only had expenditures, including a £1,000-a-month mortgage, a £17,000 credit on his boat as well as a £22,000 bank loan.
Magistrates agreed Day could repay the fine at a rate of £20 per week.
