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Seafood firm owner fined £10k for falsifying catch logs

Michael John Lawrence Henley caught out by CCTV

The owner of a seafood firm has been fined £10,000 for falsifying his catch logs to the Department of Environment, Food and agriculture.

62 year old Michael John Lawrence Henley of Quarry Lane in Peel appeared before High Bailiff Jayne Hughes at Douglas Courthouse.

He pleaded guilty to a total of five charges of filing false fishing returns between October 12 and 30 last year.

The court heard fisheries officers became suspicious about his recorded catch and checked CCTV – only to find his boat hadn’t left the harbour.

The court heard Henley, the owner of Henley’s Shellfish, has three fishing boats which were licensed for up to 500 pots.

Only two had been fishing but Henley claimed the third boat had been to sea.

Defence advocate Peter Russell told the hearing his client was an extremely well-respected fisherman who’d been instrumental in developing the industry.

Mrs Hughes imposed a £2,000 fine for each charge and ordered Henley to pay £50 towards prosecution costs.

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