ALL 104 Honduran fishermen who were fined and confined in April for breaches of Jamaica's fishing and environmental laws have now been sent home.
The Metcalfe Street Police in Kingston confirmed yesterday that "all of them (fishermen) have been sent home" but was unable to state the dates of their departure. It is understood, however, that they were returned home in batches of 20 on the chartered vessel as their boat, the Captain Hank was ordered confiscated by the courts during their trial.
The captain of the vessel, José Maguera, and his chiefmate, Jason Olin, were each fined the maximum $100,000 or six months imprisonment, under the Wildlife Protection Act for possession of an endangered species, a Hawksbill turtle. Each crew member was fined $1,000 or 30 days for fishing without a licence and $500 or 10 days each under the Fishing Industry Act and Regulations for fishing lobster and conch in the closed season.
The Jamaica Defence Force Coast Guard apprehended the Honduran vessel, the Captain Hank, on Saturday, April 20, off the Pedro Banks in Jamaica's territorial waters.
