State seeks €5.8m bail to free super-trawler Annelies Ilena

The State sought bail of €5.8m yesterday to free one of the world’s largest fishing ships, the Dutch-owned Annelies Ilena, formerly the Killybegs-owned Atlantic Dawn.

The master of the 14,000 tonne vessel, Gerrit Plug, 57, appeared at Donegal District Court accused of breaching EU fishing regulations.

The court heard that the likely evidence, some horse mackerel, sometimes known as scads, was worth only €20 and the State was seeking the factory trawler’s entire catch of €5.8m as a bond.