Fisherman fined for taking undersized whelks

A Portsmouth fisherman has been fined a total of £900 and £250 costs for unlawfully retaining whelks below the minimum legal size whilst fishing within the Sussex Inshore Fisheries and Conservation Authority (Sussex IFCA) District.

Angel Aulik, 40, of Wingfield Street Portsmouth pleaded guilty to a charge of breaching the Sea Fishing (Enforcement of Community Conservation Measures) Order 2000 arising from a quayside inspection conducted by fisheries and conservation officers from the Sussex IFCA in October 2011.

During the inspection, which was conducted at Shoreham-by-Sea, officers uncovered a large percentage of the catch to be under the minimum legal size limit for whelks.

The purpose of minimum legal size limits is to protect juvenile animals from over exploitation.

Sussex IFCA has a duty to manage the sustainable exploitation of sea fisheries resources and take necessary steps to balance socio-economic considerations with the need to protect and promote the recovery of the marine environment.

Commenting on the case Compliance Manager Ian Jones said “ the whelk fishery in Sussex is very important to the local fishing industry: fisheries and conservation officers, will continue to seek to protect this fishery, through enforcement where necessary. The actions of a few must not jeopardise this valuable fishery which is worth in excess of £1 million per year”