Skipper charged with illegal fishing

Friday 20th November 2009, 2:59PM GMT.

Michael Michieli, owner of L'Ecume 11

A JERSEY skipper was due to appear in a UK court today charged with illegal fishing in English territorial waters.

It is alleged that Michael Michieli (49), of Rozel, the master of the L’Ecume, and his crew were caught on camera pair-trawling for black bream with a UK vessel off the Sussex coast near Bognor Regis.

Chichester Magistrate’s Court is expected be told that they were filmed by a police helicopter in the first such operation of its kind. It is understood that it was the first time that a helicopter has joined boats on fishery protection duty off the south coast.

Mr Michieli is accused with David Waldron (61), the master of the Catherine Annie, who lives in Lowestoft, Suffolk.They are facing four charges, each of which has a maximum penalty of a £5,000 fine.

Read the full story in the Jersey Evening Post. Click here for subscription details. Individual editions are also available online.