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Fish trader fined
Published: 25 January, 2010
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ANOTHER coastal fish trader has been prosecuted for dealing in fish without registration as the Marine and Fisheries Agency gets tough with offenders. Stephen Edwards, who is also a fish shop director, based in Whitstable, has been fined more than £4,600, in a case brought by the Agency (MFA).
Mr Edwards, a director of the Wet Fish Shop in the harbour town famous for its oysters, appeared before Folkestone magistrates court and pleaded guilty to 13 offences (a further 118 having been taken into consideration) of buying first-sale fish without being registered under the Registration of Buyers and Sellers legislation.Mr Edwards was fined a total of £4,615, which included contribution to costs and a £15 victim surcharge.
The MFA has repeated its warning that those buying or selling first-sale fish direct from a vessel or through an agent (that is other than by competitive bidding from a registered seller by auction at a designated auction site) must have up-to-date registration.An MFA spokesman said "If in doubt, your local MFA office can advise on how to register, and when it is necessary to do so."
This is the second broadly similar case in just a few months. In October and Essex fish merchant from Leigh on Sea had to pay over £3,000 after admitting to two charges of purchasing fish as an unregistered buyer and to failing to submit sales notes from ten different fishing vessels. Apparently he fell foul of new rules on buying and selling fish which were brought in a few years ago.
The MFA has repeated its warning that those buying or selling first-sale fish direct from a vessel or through an agent (that is other than by competitive bidding from a registered seller by auction at a designated auction site) must have up-to-date registration.An MFA spokesman said "If in doubt, your local MFA office can advise on how to register, and when it is necessary to do so."
This is the second broadly similar case in just a few months. In October and Essex fish merchant from Leigh on Sea had to pay over £3,000 after admitting to two charges of purchasing fish as an unregistered buyer and to failing to submit sales notes from ten different fishing vessels. Apparently he fell foul of new rules on buying and selling fish which were brought in a few years ago.
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