The owner and relief master of a Newlyn fishing vessel have been prosecuted by Cornwall Inshore Fisheries & Conservation Authority (IFCA) for multiple charges relating to crab and lobster fishing including the removal of undersized edible crabs and fishing for berried lobsters.

The prosecution on March 5 at Truro Magistrates Court was the culmination of two separate investigations in Newlyn harbour in April 2024 and January 2025, having been brought together in a single prosecution before the court.

Benjamin Edward Rowse, 28, of Penzance was relief master of the 16.42m vivier potting vessel Emma Louise TO60, owned by Rowse Fishing Limited. Mr Raimonds Vimba (52), a Latvian national and the regular master, did not attend court but is expected to appear on a later date.

The defendants faced multiple charges related to their crab and lobster fishing which had largely been conducted within the Cornwall IFCA district, including the removal of undersized edible crabs and spider crabs, fishing for berried and mutilated lobsters, plus failures to accurately record details in the logbook.

The first investigation took place between April 15 and 18 2024. Officers found evidence of several offences, namely the removal from the Cornwall IFCA district of undersized male and female edible and spider crabs, and one lobster with a mutilated tail. Officers also noted a failure to record quantities of each species kept on board in the logbook and landing declaration, and send it to the MMO.

When officers inspected the catch in the vivier tank in January, they found six “berried” lobsters with eggs attached to the underside of their tails, the taking of which is illegal in all English waters. It was clear from the black colour of the eggs that they were not ready for hatching, and officers suspected the physical condition of these lobsters was indicative of forcible egg removal, such as by scrubbing using a stiff brush.

Numerous other female lobsters showed similar signs of forcible egg removal, with further analysis leading Cornwall IFCA to believe a far greater number of berried lobsters were caught and retained on board the Emma Louise than were actually found with berries. It is important berried females are returned immediately to the sea to help maintain healthy lobster stocks.

At this first hearing, the two defendants entered guilty pleas to all the charges relevant to them. Rowse Fishing Limited was fined £12,000 with £7,397 costs and a surcharge of £2,000. Ben Rowse was fined £1,053 with £1,000 costs and a £421 surcharge.

Simon Cadman, Cornwall IFCA’s Principal Enforcement Officer said: “It is deeply concerning that a successful prosecution of Rowse Fishing Ltd and Ben Rowse in 2023, involving similar offending from the same vivier potting vessel in 2022, did not dissuade them from further illegal fishing for crabs and lobsters in 2024 and 2025.

“Such short-sighted actions on this scale risks ruining crab and lobster fishing within the Cornwall IFCA district, putting the important livelihoods of scores of other fishermen and their fishing communities at risk. It is simply unacceptable to take and sell undersized and pregnant shellfish which clearly need to survive in the fishery to ensure sustainable stocks long-term.”