A fishing vessel owner and master of the fishing vessel “Matthew J” was convicted and fined €3,000 at Galway District Court on the 5th of March 2024, for engaging in sea-fishing without a sea-fishing licence. Gearóid Codyre, from Barna, County Galway, pleaded guilty to 12 sample charges of sea-fishing without a sea-fishing licence in respect of the vessel “Matthew J”, in a period between October 2021 and February 2023. The Court heard evidence from the Sea-Fisheries Protection Authority (SFPA) of 36 commercial sales of catches of shrimp from the vessel, with sales totalling €93,244, in the period during which the vessel was unlicenced. The Court heard the vessel has since been licensed.
Commenting on the case, an SFPA spokesperson stated:
“Sea-fishing licensing is key to ensuring the sustainable balance of fishing capacity and fishing opportunities. While there is a high level of compliance by commercial vessels with the requirement to hold a sea-fishing licence, it is important that there is consistent compliance across the industry. The SFPA notes the importance of this requirement is underscored by the Court’s decision and commends the Sea-Fisheries Protection Officers involved for their work on the investigation.”
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