Trawler detained in Killybegs because catch is overweight

A court today ordered the detention of a trawler with €98,200 fish aboard because some of the catch was over the legal allowed weight.
The Irish-registered Dunboy, which has a Spanish crew and mainly lands its catches in Spain, was detained in Killybegs this morning.
Eleven of its crew of 13, including its skipper later appeared at Ballyshannon District Court where prosecuting fisheries officers claimed a catch of monkfish worth about €20,000 was almost 20 per cent
above the permitted limit.
The court heard from Garda John Malone and Sea Fisheries Protection officer John Hederman that the monkfish catch was weighed when the vessel pulled into Killybegs. Both witnesses asked that the trawler be detained for 48 hours to permit the investigation to continue and to establish how much the fishing gear and catch were worth so a bond could be raised before the vessel was freed again.
Judge Kevin Kilrane ordered that the vessel be detained at Killybegs port for 48 hours – until 3.35 pm on Sunday afternoon – but he agreed the vessel could be allowed sail earlier if a bond value
against any future fine was agreed.
Outside the court Mr Hederman said it was likely a bond of around €100,000 would be agreed. He said the rest of the Dunboy’s catch – other species of fish not in breach of weight limits – was
worth an estimated €78,200.