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Dr. Godman
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many skippers of fishing vessels have been convicted in the courts for offences relating to illegal fishing activities in each of the past three years; what was the average financial penalty imposed; if he will list the nationality of the (a) skippers and (b) vessels; if the catch and gear were confiscated in all cases; and if he will make a statement. [78402]
Mr. Morley
[holding answer 29 March 1999]: Substantial resources are devoted to fisheries enforcement and appropriate action is taken where infringements are detected.Information about fisheries prosecutions in courts in England and Wales is set out in the following table:
| 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | |
| No. of skippers successfully prosecuted for one or more infringements1 | 59 | 46 | 72 |
| Average financial penalty imposed2 | £4,663 | £2,878 | £2,126 |
| Nationality of skipper3 and vessels | Vessel | Vessel | Vessel |
| Belgian | 6 | 5 | 5 |
| Dutch | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| French | 3 | 2 | 5 |
| Lithuanian | 1 | — | — |
| Norwegian | 2 | — | — |
| Russian | 1 | — | — |
| Spanish | 1 | 1 | — |
| UK | 43 | 35 | 62 |
| Irish | — | 1 | — |
| Number of cases where gear and/or catch were confiscated | |||
| Gear | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Catch | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| 1 Includes skippers who are owners | |||
| 2Calculated as the total value of penalties imposed (fines and any financial penalties to the value of the catch and/or gear (as appropriate) divided by the number of skippers prosecuted | |||
| 3Information on the nationality of skippers is not readily available | |||