A man who caught bass on rod and line from his unlicensed boat and then sold them illegally to a fish merchant was fined £600 and ordered to pay £400 costs by magistrates at Haverfordwest, Pembrokeshire, on Monday April 16th.

Richard Eynon, 28, of  Burry Port, Llanelli, pleaded guilty to selling over 50 kilos of bass worth £300 caught on his unlicensed boat Anna-Bell, to a Cornish fish merchant.

The prosecution, brought by the Marine and Fisheries Agency, cited a sales note from the fish merchants which revealed Mr. Eynon’s name and bank details on transactions between June 8th and 13th 2006.

A Marine and Fisheries Agency spokesman said: “Unlicensed catching and selling of bass is a serious matter which is of legitimate concern both to the commercial fishermen of South Wales and to serious sea anglers.

Such illegal activity can do serious damage to fish stocks as well as  distorting the market for licensed fishermen.”