Fisherman fined £35k for undersized whelk catch in Manx waters

Dinars Lugans' boat was boarded by fisheries officers off the coast of the Point of Ayre

The master of an English fishing boat has been fined £35,000 for illegal fishing in Manx waters.

Dinars Lugans, of Lincoln, admitted catching undersized whelks on 22 November.

The 47-year-old also had his fishing gear seized and his licence to fish in Manx waters suspended for a year.

Douglas Courthouse heard Lugans had previously been fined £25,000 after being convicted of a similar offence in 2018.

Whelk is the common name given to a type of edible sea snail that lives in a hard shell.

The hearing last week heard that fisheries officers found the undersized whelks onboard the Julia Anne FD5 during an inspection near the Point of Ayre.

The vessel was detained after being escorted to Douglas Harbour and a further inspection discovered about 19% of the whelk caught was below the legal minimum size of 75mm.

The minimum landing size for whelk is in place to ensure the creatures are able to breed successfully and stocks are not excessively depleted each season.

Lugans later pleaded guilty to being in possession of whelks under the prescribed minimum size.

Environment, Food and Agriculture Minister Clare Barber said her department was "committed to ensuring the conservation of fishing in the Isle of Man".

"This detention and subsequent conviction gives a clear message to vessels operating within Manx Territorial Waters that they must all abide by the regulations, to maintain a fishery that will be viable and sustainable for all," she added.