On 24 January 2024, at Truro Magistrates Court, Cornwall IFCA successfully prosecuted David Paul Ingram (67) of Mousehole Cornwall, the master and owner of the unlicensed vessel Tergeron for using a net to catch and retain European seabass and for catching and retaining more than two specimens of European seabass, while fishing recreationally. Mr Ingram was ordered to pay a total of £2,168 in fines and costs.
On 3 August 2023, David Ingram entered Mousehole harbour in his unregistered and unlicensed fishing vessel Tergeron, where Cornwall IFCOs made a routine inspection and found 17 bass and a gill net on board. Initially, Mr Ingram said he had only been fishing using rod and line and stated that he had only caught two mackerel which he had used to bait a shellfish pot at sea. Once he was informed that his vessel was to be searched, he admitted that he had bass onboard, explaining they had been caught five or six days previously. Upon inspection of a cool box, some of the bass were still showing signs of life and several others were in a condition to indicate they had only recently died. The net was found to be wet and it was near to two anchors of a type typically used to hold a net in position on the seabed. It was prohibited to retain bass from fixed nets when fishing recreationally.
In response to further questioning, Mr Ingram admitted lying to officers and went on to explain he had caught all the bass that day; two by rod and line and fifteen coming from the fixed net which he said had been set for two hours. He said the net was used with the intention of catching red mullet, despite its 95mm mesh size being unusually large for catching this smaller fish species in Cornish waters. He also admitted knowing the regulations, which limited him to two bass per day at that time of the year.
On 24th January 2024 Mr Ingram appeared at the Truro Magistrates Court, unrepresented by a solicitor. He pleaded guilty to both charges and went on to claim he had used his net to fish for red mullet but having not caught any he kept the bass.
Bass are subject to both commercial and recreational conservation measures designed to help fish stocks recover. They are managed at a European wide level.
Simon Cadman, Cornwall IFCA’s Principal Enforcement Officer said, “With bass being a species of great importance to so many recreational and commercial fishermen, it is crucial for fishermen to abide by legislation which aims to ensure an improving and healthy stock for the future. It was particularly disappointing to find the rules broken to such a level, on this occasion. Where there is clear evidence of a breach of important fisheries conservation legislation which is enforceable by Cornwall IFCA, strong enforcement action can be expected, as in this case.”