Fv-Puenteareas-Uno

The Spanish master of the 'Puenteareas Uno' was fined €10,000 and ordered forfeiture of €35,000 from the value of the catch and gear onboard the vessel at a court hearing on Nov 25. He was represented at Cork Circuit Criminal Court, where his guilty plea was confirmed. He pleaded guilty to charges of failing to retain catches of sea-fish subject to quotas onboard the vessel which is in contravention of the Landing Obligation rules. The charges arose from an inspection by officers attached to the European Fisheries Control Agency (EFCA) patrol vessel 'Ocean Guardian' in the Irish Exclusive Economic Zone on Oct 15, which led to the detention of the vessel at Castletownbere. The detention was coordinated by officers onboard the Ocean Guardian, SFPA officers and An Garda Síochána. The court heard that during the course of an inspection onboard the vessel, the officers witnessed crew members discarding fish species back into the sea via a discards belt. In giving its decision, the court remarked that operators and masters must comply with the sea-fishing regulations, noting the seriousness attached to the contravention of the Landing Obligation rules, which are key to supporting the sustainability of stocks of quota species and future sea-fishing activity. Failure to comply with the Landing Obligation rules, by engaging in illegal discarding, undermines the sustainability of sea-fisheries. Al officers involved in the investigation and the co-operation between the EFCA, SFPA and An Garda Síochána were commended.

The Irish Sea Fisheries Protection Authority (SFPA) reported the seizure and release of the 'Puenteareas Uno'. The vessel, owned by Ribeira (previously in Vigo), was seized in Irish waters on Oct 15, 2025, following an inspection by members of the SFPA and the European Fisheries Control Agency (EFCA), which revealed that the catch had not been retained on board, meaning he had discarded fish. Following a trial on Oct 17, a bail of €130,000 was issued for the release of the vessek, which the shipowner paid. After the return to the fishing grounds, the trawler rescued the crew of the sinking trawler 'Radoche Tercero' on Oct 22. They were transported to the port of Castletownbere at 5 p.m. and disembarked safe and sound. Report with photos and video: https://www.farodevigo.es/fotos/mar/2025/10/22/rescatan-nueve-espanoles-hundimiento-arrastrero-radoche-tercero-122902343.html#foto=5