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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 sheriff 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 (i) skippers and (ii) vessels; if the gear and catch were confiscated in all cases; and if he will make a statement. [78403]
Mr. Macdonald
[holding answer 29 March 1999]: I have been asked to reply.Substantial resources are devoted to fisheries enforcement and appropriate action is taken where infringements are detected. Information about fisheries prosecutions which have been dealt with in sheriff courts in the past 3 years is set out in the table.
| Number of skippers successfully prosecuted for one or more infringements1 | Average financial penalty imposed2 (£) | |
| 1996 | 62 | 4,013 |
| 1997 | 87 | 4,355 |
| 1998 | 73 | 2,600 |
| 1Includes skippers who are also 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 | ||
| 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | ||||
| Skipper | Vessel | Skipper | Vessel | Skipper | Vessel | |
| Nationality of skippers and vessels | ||||||
| UK | 55 | 57 | 82 | 83 | 71 | 69 |
| Danish | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Spanish | 2 | — | 1 | 1 | — | — |
| Faeroese | 1 | 1 | — | — | — | — |
| Dutch | 1 | 1 | — | — | — | — |
| Irish | 1 | 1 | — | — | 1 | 1 |
| German | — | — | 2 | 2 | — | — |
| Belgian | — | — | 1 | 1 | — | — |
| Number of cases where gear and/or catch were confiscated | ||||||
| Gear | 4 | 2 | 1 | |||
| Catch | 3 | 2 | 1 |