MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Penguin News.

Fire fighters hour long battle with blazing bush.

FOURTEEN fire fighters using two fire engines battled a blazing gorse bush in the Government House drive-way last Monday evening. The fire and rescue service were called to the blaze at about 5.30pm and approximately one hour later had successfully extinguished it. Around 40 metres of the bush was destroyed on both sides of the drive.The cause of the fire is currently being investigated.Photo: Marie Loveridge.

Fisheries Dept. contributed to problem say Mila owners.

MIKE SUMMERS, director of fishing company Prion Ltd currently facing illegal fishing charges, aimed the bulk of the blame at the Falkland Islands Fisheries Department (FIFD) in court this week. The case opened on Tuesday morning with Senior Magistrate Keith Watson residing.Two charges of illegal fishing in the Convention of the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR) waters were brought against Prion Ltd, owners of the Mila. The Captain of the Mila, Senor Alvarez also appeared to face identical charges. Both Prion Ltd and Sr. Alvarez entered guilty pleas to the charges. Principal Crown Counsel, Mr Graham Cripps presented the court with a statement of facts including photographs taken by a CCAMLR observer aboard Australian fishing vessel Austral Leader showing the Mila's identification marks, some of which were partly obscured by covers.

Chart plotter wiped

Also included in Mr Cripp's statement was a booklet of printouts from the Mila's chart plotter connected to the vessel's Global Positioning System, providing accurate records of the Mila's movements and position each day. Mr Cripps stated that the log books kept on board by the Mila fishing master had been altered and that the chart plotter had been wiped. The data was retrieved from the chart plotter by an expert upon the vessel's return to Stanley, clearly showing where the vessel had journeyed. Speaking on behalf of Prion Ltd in court on Tuesday afternoon, Mr Hugh Ferguson stated that the company was clearly responsible under legislation but had been totally unaware of the Mila's illegal activities.

Principal culprit.

He commented that in the company's view the "prin