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Two men who fished with prohibited trawling apparatus were fined $80,000 and $85,000 respectively at the Eastern Magistrates' Courts today (December 10).
On September 13 and 14, two shrimp trawlers were spotted operating off south Tau Lo Chau and south Shek Kwu Chau respectively by patrolling officers of the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD). The owners of the two shrimp trawlers were summonsed after investigations by the AFCD officers.
The AFCD welcomes the courts' penalties imposed on the above cases which are the highest among similar cases.
An AFCD spokesman reminded the public that the ban on trawling came into force on December 31, 2012. Any person who contravenes the ban and is convicted is liable to a maximum penalty of a fine of $200,000 and imprisonment for six months under the Fisheries Protection Ordinance (Cap 171).
The spokesman noted that trawling is a non-selective fishing operation which damages the seabed and the marine ecosystems. A ban on trawling activities brings the harmful depletion to an immediate halt, enabling the marine ecosystems to be gradually rehabilitated to a sustainable level and be better preserved in the long run.
The spokesman stressed, "The Government is committed to cracking down on illegal trawling activities. The AFCD will continue to step up patrols and stringently enforce the law, and at the same time maintain close liaison with relevant law enforcement departments and carry out joint enforcement operations as necessary."
Ends/Tuesday, December 10, 2013
Issued at HKT 17:37
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