A fishing firm which has admitted charges relating to a quota scam
could be banned from sitting on an influential forum in the port where
it is based.
W
Stevenson and Son, from Newlyn in West Cornwall, pleaded guilty at
Exeter Crown Court earlier this month to 37 charges of submitting false
sales notes to the Government.
The company, which is Britain's
biggest privately owned fishing firm, with a fleet of 35 vessels, had
failed to accurately record the amount of fish landed.
This allowed it to catch more than its quota of expensive fish, totalling a value of £141,000.
Now
the Newlyn Fish Industry Forum (NFIF), which was set up to deliver the
port's regeneration strategy, is set to consider the company's future
in its decision- making process.
Tony Woodhams, project officer at the NFIF, said it was a likely topic of discussion at their next meeting.
"I
think it would probably be inappropriate to have a view on this in view
of the meeting but when members have had a chance to discuss it there
will be a decision taken at that time," he said.
The NFIF is
partnered by public and private sector organisations, including
Cornwall County Council and Penwith District Council.
So far, no one from Cornwall County Council has commented on the likely outcome of the forthcoming NFIF meeting on May 8.
However,
Malcolm Pilcher, vice-chairman of Penwith District Council, said he
would "very much doubt" that W Stevenson and Son would keep their place
on the forum.
Elizabeth Stevenson, who is a partner in the
company and also president of the National Federation of Fishermen's
Organisations, said she had the full backing of the fishing industry.
"If
you are a business contributing a large amount to a port, why should
somebody be excluded from having their say in what happens to the
future of that port?"
article copyright WESTERN MORNING NEWS