client had not re-offended on two counts before the courts, saving the man $8,000.

Kenneth Earl Minks, 58, of Fort Lane, St. George's, pleaded guilty to using fixed fishing gear without a licence, unlawfully taking lobsters without a licence, unlawfully possessing lobsters onshore and possessing undersized lobsters.

Crown Counsel Charmaine Smith told Magistrate Edward King that between 11 a.m.

and 7 p.m. on March 7, Police and a fisheries warden watched Minks and another man -- who was not before the court -- in a boat north of St. Catherine's Point.

They were observed with high powered binoculars retrieving numerous items from the water. Minks left the spot, approached Barry Road and went to Mullet Bay where he moored his boat. He got in his car and returned to a secluded area on Barry Road. Shortly after that he was arrested with two large sacks full of live lobsters.

Mrs. Smith said Police seized 29 lobsters, four of which had carapaces of under three and five eighths inches in length.

On March 8, Minks admitted under caution he had retrieved three fish traps but could not find a fourth.

Later, he accompanied Police to the area and they retrieved two of the illegal traps.

Minks was convicted in October of similar offences and Mrs. Smith pointed out that, under the Fisheries Act, a second offence within six months was punishable with a doubling of the maximum potential penalties in the first conviction. Mr. King levied $15,003 in fines for three of the four charges, Mr. Scott rose and pointed out that there had been only a previous conviction for one offence within the last six months.

Mr. King then ordered Minks to pay a fine of $1,000 for using fish traps in a restricted zone, and $1,000 for having undersized lobsters. A further fine of $5,001 was levied for unlawfully taking lobsters while not being licensed.