MMO Cracks Down on Pollack Overfishing Violations

Pollack overfishing has become a serious concern, as highlighted by recent prosecutions by the Marine Management Organisation (MMO). Following regular audits of sales notes and catch data, it was discovered that the vessels Kerry Marie NN795 and Annie May PZ71 had significantly exceeded their fishing quotas in area 7, with overages of 182 and 192 kilos, respectively. On May 19, 2026, at Bodmin Magistrates Court, Berlewen Fishing and Leisure Limited, the owner of Kerry Marie NN795, along with its master, William Paul Chapman, acknowledged a breach of their fishing licence due to overfishing pollack in February 2024. Similarly, Bomaris Ltd, the owner of Annie May PZ71, and its master, James Mitchell, admitted to violating their licence by overfishing pollack in March 2024. For these violations, Berlewen Fishing and Leisure Limited was fined £3,000, along with a surcharge of £1,200 and costs amounting to £2,038.05. Additionally, they were fined £1,516.60 to reflect the value of the overfished pollack. William Paul Chapman, the master of the Kerry Marie, faced a fine of £1,204 along with a £410 surcharge and £500 in costs. In a parallel ruling, Bomaris Ltd received a fine of £3,000, with a £1,200 surcharge and £4,856.05 in costs. They also incurred an extra fine of £881.69 for the value of the fish caught over the limit. Master James Mitchell of the Annie May was fined £2,954, in addition to a surcharge of £1,182.20 and £500 in costs. The court heard that the MMO initiated investigations after their routine checks indicated that the two vessels' owners and masters had either neglected to cease fishing or acquire additional quota upon realizing they had surpassed their monthly limits for pollack. Data revealed that the Kerry Marie exceeded its quota by over 200% on February 7, 2024, yet continued fishing and returned on February 19 with a further 79% over quota. Despite the issuance of a Financial Administrative Penalty by the MMO, the vessel's owner and master refused to comply, resulting in the court proceedings. Moreover, records demonstrated that the Annie May exceeded its quota by 189%, capturing nearly three times the allowed amount over five trips. The MMO maintained that this represented deliberate misconduct, as the vessel's owner and master ignored the law and made no attempts to acquire additional quota throughout the month following their first overfishing trip. Following the hearings, Libby Naylor, head of Investigations & Intelligence at the MMO, stated, "We want to ensure that fishermen who adhere to regulations are not put at a disadvantage by a minority who choose to break the law. There were measures the defendants could have taken to avert overfishing, yet they failed to do so. This is why they faced court action. We are here to support compliant fishermen but will not hesitate to take action against frequent or blatant breaches of the rules." For further detailed information on fishing regulations, visit [the Environment Agency](https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/environment-agency) and [Fishing News](https://www.fishingnews.co.uk/). For more insights, check out our articles on [www.globemigrant.com/articles](https://www.globemigrant.com/articles) and [www.globemigrant.com/resources](https://www.globemigrant.com/resources). Source: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/pollack-overfishing-punished-mmo-prosecution

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