W Stevenson and Sons was given a two-year conditional discharge and ordered to pay a confiscation order and costs totalling £776,633 at Exeter Crown Court on June 17.
The scam, in 2002, involved so-called black fish from restricted species being put through the books as other types of fish for which there was spare quota. The company admitted 37 charges of submitting a false sales note for the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra).
Following the end of the case, the local fishing community says it's time to move on to give the port a prosperous future. Paul Trebilcock, chief executive of the Cornish Fish Producers' Organisation (CFPO), said he was glad the case was over. "I am happy to draw a line under it and move forward. The judge recognised the work (the Stevensons) have done with science partnerships and other government departments since 2002. I don't think they got off lightly – £776,000 is a lot of money to pay for any business in the current economical climate. It has been an emotional and stressful six years and hopefully we now can move forward."
The CFPO's view is shared by the skipper and owner of the Crystal Sea, David Stephens. Had the company been faced with a confiscation order of up to £4 million – the sum it was estimated it had reaped from illegal activity – Mr Stephens feared it might have not been able to carry on operating in Newlyn. He said: "The figure is high enough, and when we look into the background and what happened in 2002, the industry has come a long way.
"£4 million would have gone towards nothing and it would have been one hell of a kicking. They might have not been able to carry on and it could have tipped them over the edge or put them off operating in the industry. Fair enough, they did break the law, but they will not be doing it again that's for sure. The future will be healthier – let's hope they will get over this."
Fisherman Nick Howell and auctioneer Robin Turner of the Newlyn Fishing Community Interest Company, set up to manage the new multi-million pound fish market, are also ready to move forward.
Mr Howell said: "There are lots of things that need to be done, but it's the next generation that needs the freedom to do it."
And Mr Turner added: "The next step is to get in place the new market, draw the business case and make sure it works."
article copyright THE CORNISHMAN
