BRITISH WAR SHIP

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Van Dijck released on bail

France has released the "Van Dijck" which was suspected of illegally dredging scallops in French waters after its owner paid 50,000 Euros in bail. The "Van Dijck" on Jan 10 left the port of Caen-Ouistreham with its captain due to appear in court on May 15 to face charges. The boat was impounded following an on-board inspection on the edge of France's territorial waters, 12 nautical miles offshore. French authorities ordered the captain to dump all 21 tonnes of scallops on board, a catch worth hundreds of thousands of Euros in the retail market. Officials had earlier given a figure of 17 tonnes but that had not included the day's catch. The "Van Dijck" was the third British boat to have been detained and accused of illegal fishing in French waters in five months, following two similar interceptions in September.

Trawler seized for illegal fishing

On Jan 7, 2013, at 3,30 p.m. the "Van Dijck", was diverted to Ouistreham. The National Monitoring Centre of Fisheries had issued a strong suspicion of non-compliant fishing. Checks which were carried out north of the Port-en-Bessin revealed that 17 tons of shells had been fished illegally in territorial waters. The Departmental of the Territories at Sea in Calvados has ordered the arrest of the trawler which docked at Ouistreham in the morning of Jan 8. The shells were discarded and the prosecutor of Caen seized the ship. French report with photo: http://www.tendanceouest.com/caen/actualite-47108-un-navire-de-peche-britannique-deroute-sur-ouistreham.html