Two Northern Ireland fishermen have each been fined a total of £8,000 by magistrates after pleading guilty to a charge of illegal dredging of scallops in the Special Area of Conservation in Cardigan Bay.

Hans Cousins, of 58 Dockview, Annalong Road, County Down and David Forsythe, of 14 Irvington Park, Kilkeel, County Down appeared before Llanelli Magistrates’ Court on 18 July.

Cousins, 52, and 44-year-old Forsythe had both pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing at Llanelli Magistrates’ Court on 25 April to two charges of “fishing for, taking or killing scallops by the use of a scallop dredge which was prohibited” in an area of the Cardigan Bay Special Area of Conservation.

The court heard that the pair were caught illegally dredging for scallops in the area in a fishing boat named Siobhan III once between 5 and 7 November 2020 and again between 22 and 26 March 2022.

Magistrates handed both Cousins and Forsythe a £2,000 fine for each of the offences for a total fine between the two of £8,000.

The pair must each also pay prosecution costs of £3,222.85 as well as a surcharge to fund victim services of £190.