German trawler detained by Irish navy as skipper charged with fishing offences 

Video of the boat’s movements were then live streamed to the Naval Base in Haulbowline (pictured). Picture: Denis Minihane

A German trawler has been detailed and its skipper charged with multiple fishing offences after a secret European Union-led air and sea operation.

The Ortegal Tres’s movements were monitored overhead by an aerial surveillance plane chartered by the European Fisheries Control Agency.

Video of the boat’s movements were then live streamed to the Naval Base in Haulbowline, Co Cork.

Officers there then ordered one of its ships to detain the fishing boat.

The detention of the German-registered fishing vessel operating in the Irish Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) was the result of what has been described as a multi-agency “intelligence-led” operation.

It involved officials from the European Fisheries Control Agency, the Naval Service and the Sea-Fisheries Protection Authority (SFPA).

The boat was detained by the Irish Naval Service on February 7 for a number of alleged breaches of fishing regulations.

The detention followed extensive analysis of the vessel’s electronic logbook and vessel monitoring system positions over a number of weeks.

A spokesperson for the SFPA said: “Both the SFPA and Irish Naval Service received an intel report from a confidential source on January 6 in relation to this vessel and alleged breaches of fishing regulations.

“The Fisheries Monitoring Centre monitored and conducted analysis of the vessel once it entered the Irish EEZ in late January.

“The Irish Naval Service then requested the activity of the vessel to be monitored by the aerial surveillance aircraft chartered by the European Fisheries Control Agency.

“Video footage gathered verified the intel received as well as additional evidence.

“The Irish Naval Service had a SFPA officer analysing this aerial footage as it was live streamed back to both the SFPA and the Fisheries Monitoring Centre.” 

The boat was stopped by Irish Naval Service vessel personnel from LÉ Samuel Beckett for what have been described as “numerous suspected non-compliances with sea-fisheries legislation”.

The vessel was then escorted to Castletownbere, and arrived there on Saturday.

The master of the Ortegal Tres was brought before a special sitting of Bandon District Court on Monday, February 13.

According to the SFPA, he was charged with a total of 25 fishing offences “on various dates between a date unknown in December 2022 and February 3, 2023”.

This was, the agency added, while he was fishing within the exclusive fishing limits of the State.

A spokesperson added: “The case had been returned for trial by a judge and jury.”