Magistrate explains fishing contravention charges to accused
CHINA may say its three arrested fishing vessels are innocent of plundering South African waters, but the Hawks yesterday put the three Chinese skippers before a magistrate and came within a hair’s breadth of charging them with being caught in the act.
East London district magistrate Robyn Tyler, who explained the charges to each skipper using a Mandarin translator, told them that investigators “still need to analyse the fish on the boats”.
The Hawks were handed the case yesterday by at least five different government departments, including Customs, SARS and Home Affairs.
Dianxin Jiang, 57, skipper of hi-tech Chinese fishing vessel Fu Yuan Yu 7880, Baohua Qi, 40, skipper of sister ship Fu Yuang Yu 7881, and Jianbo Yu, 46, skipper of the Indonesian Run Da 617, which flies China’s flag, did not plead and were represented by East London attorney Peter Allam.
Tyler released them on condition that they did not leave their vessels without the approval of the Hawks.
The skippers looked meek and a little bewildered when they finally appeared in the dock in the mid-afternoon.
This was after they were held at the fisheries compliance department at the port.
They emerged in public for the first time chaperoned by the Hawks in cars while investigative TV crew Carte Blanche shot video.
The skippers were driven to the Fleet Street police station and finger-printed before entering the court complex, coming up to the dock from the holding cells below.
Chinese Association chairwoman Lequin Zhu, who was in the almost empty gallery, said the Chinese community was there to provide interpretation, communication and compassion for fellow nationals.
“They do not speak English at all,” she said.
The charge sheet presented by prosecutor Lerato Phakisi Nqinileyo accused the skippers of:
- Breaking the Marine Living Resource Act by storing, processing and transporting fish in South Africa’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ) without a permit, which carries a maximum fine of R2-million or five years in jail;
- Refusing to obey the lawful instruction of an SA fishery control officer and failing to facilitate the safe boarding inspection; and
- Contravening regulations 11 and 96 of notice R1111 by entering the EEZ with gear on board, and without a valid permit.
They return to court on June 15.
The post Three Chinese skippers in court appeared first on HeraldLIVE.