MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency
Further adjournment of cases against fishing company.
Falkland Islands Councillor and Director of Quark Fishing Ltd., Michael Summers, was in the Stanley Magistrate's court today, Wednesday, to hear his legal representative, Hugh Ferguson of Ledingham Chalmers, petition for a further adjournment of cases against his company, which first came to court on 13th October.
Senior Magistrate, Clare Faulds, agreed to adjourn the cases until 1st December after hearing from Mr. Ferguson that the late arrival of relevant papers in the Falkland Islands had prevented him from being in a position to form a plea. Crown Counsel, Miss Rosalind Cheek, confirmed the late arrival of the papers and indicated that the prosecution had no objections to the granting of a further adjournment.
Quark Fishing Ltd, as the charterers of fishing vessel IBSA Quinto, are accused of having been in breach of licence conditions, between the 4th May and 28th June 2004, having, according to the published charges, taken 33 tonnes of fish above their allowable catch limit of 300 tonnes.
The Spanish company Freimar AS is also on the charge sheet as owners of the IBSA Quinto. Mr. Ferguson was able to inform the court that he was acting on their behalf as well as that of Quark Ltd. At the original hearing on 13th October, Freimar SA had been unrepresented.
Sources in the Falkland Islands fishing community put the value of the alleged excess catch in the region of US$ 33,000.
Quark Fishing Ltd. is also charged, as owners of fishing vessel Jaqueline, with being in breach of regulations designed to minimise the incidental mortality of seabirds, on or about the 6th June, this year.
John Fowler (MP) Stanley
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