Irish fishing vessel master pleads guilty in Bantry court to under-recording haddock catches during a Castletownbere landing inspection
The Master of the fishing vessel Margaret Katie, Noel O’ Sullivan of Co. Cork, has pleaded guilty to under-recording catches of haddock in the vessel’s fishing logbook.
The guilty plea was entered at Bantry District Court on 11 December 2025. The offence was detected during an inspection by Sea-Fisheries Protection Authority (SFPA) Sea-Fisheries Protection Officers at Castletownbere Port in March 2024.
At a further hearing on 8 January 2026, the Court heard evidence relating to an inspection of the landing of whitefish catches from the vessel. During the inspection, officers found that the stowage plan onboard did not contain a box count of fish held onboard. Officers were provided with a log of fish boxes onboard, which, together with the fishing logbook, was cross-checked against the quantities of fish landed.
Evidence was presented that the Sea-Fisheries Protection Officer had been informed that offloading was complete. However, the officer subsequently detected 61 boxes of haddock concealed behind stacked empty boxes which had not been declared. The Court heard that this amounted to a mis-recording of haddock in the fishing logbook by 57 percent.
The Court was also told of the importance of accurate fisheries data and the negative impact that under-recording can have on quota management and stock sustainability.
In delivering its decision, the Court imposed a fine of €750 and commented that there is a “big onus to comply with all requirements”, noting that fish is a “very valuable and treasured commodity” and a “valuable resource in the food chain”.
An SFPA spokesperson said the case highlighted the importance of compliance with fisheries control rules. The spokesperson stated:
“The SFPA notes the decision of the Court. Accurate recording of catches in EU waters is key to supporting sustainable quota management to avoid depletion of stocks and to protect future fishing opportunities for coastal communities, in addition to the support of conservation of marine resources. The SFPA commends the Sea-Fisheries Protection Officers involved in this case for their investigation.”
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