Cypriot trawler crew accused of illegal fishing

The captain of a fishing vessel and four crew members, all Egyptian nationals, were yesterday charged with fishing in Maltese waters without a licence on Monday.

The captain of the Cyprus-registered vessel Alexander K, Wagih Mohammed El-Ghaly Abou-Hegazy, 37, his brother Oussama Mohammed El-Ghaly Abou-Hegazy, 26, their two cousins Emad El-Din Khalil Ibrahim Abou-Hegazy, 29, and Ibrahim Khalil Ibrahim Abou-Hegazy, 28, and Abdou Helmy El-Bousaty, 30, pleaded not guilty to illegal fishing.

The captain was also charged with failing to notify a fisheries protection officer of the amounts, descriptions and presentation of fish on board the vessel and failing to stow the vessel's fishing gear in such a manner that it is not readily available for use for fishing.

Emad El-Din Khalil Ibrahim Abou-Hegazy, an engineer on the ship, was granted bail against a personal guarantee of Lm10,000 and on condition he does not leave the vessel while the other four defendants were remanded in custody.

Police Inspector Ramon Mercieca prosecuted.

The armed forces said prior to the crew's arraignment that the 70-foot trawler had been spotted about 22 nautical miles to the south east of Malta. The trawler was escorted to the Grand Harbour and berthed near the fisheries department.

The AFM said the patrol boat was conducting a search mission for illegal immigrants at sea when it spotted the trawler. The operation was conducted by the Protector-class patrol-boat's boarding-party using a rigid-hull dinghy.

The army said that personnel from the maritime squadron forming part of the 2nd Regiment apprehended the Cypriot crew as they started hauling their fishing gear back in, having secured video and photographic evidence. Evidence was also elevated from the Cypriot-vessel's electronic navigation equipment, it said.

The fishing boat, crew and fish haul were handed over to the police and senior fisheries' protection officers from the Department of Fisheries.

In terms of agreements with the European Union, fishing within the 25-mile limit requires a licence.

Last month six Italian fishermen caught lowering nets within the 25-mile conservation zone were fined Lm16,657. They had opted to be fined by the department of fisheries rather than appear in court. The crew of the 28-metre trawler Europa, registered at Molfetta di Bari, was caught breaching European and Maltese laws when it was spotted about 18.5 nautical miles northwest of Gozo.