guilty in Magistrates' Court to a total of 20 charges on Tuesday.

Andrew Daniel Farias, 34, of Flat Rock Lane, Pembroke; 40-year-old Michael David Barnes of Fourth Avenue, Devonshire; and 43-year-old Michael Stephan Joel of Alexandria Lane, Hamilton Parish; were arrested on March 23 in an early morning raid by Marine Police.

The three men pleaded not guilty in Magistrates' Court on Monday to one count of possessing illegal fishing gear and one count of using illegal fishing gear on January 10.

The men faced an additional 44 charges but Senior Magistrate Archibald Warner said the charges must be redrafted in a more detailed manner after defence lawyer Mark Diel said they appeared "duplicitous''.

Yesterday Crown counsel Larry Mussenden presented the court with the revised charges -- three counts of possessing and three counts of using illegal fish pots on different dates between January 13 and February 24, six counts of possessing and six counts of using illegal fish pots on Argus Banks on different dates between March 11 and March 26, as well as alternative charges.

Mr. Mussenden denied suggestions that the charges were overloaded, stating: "It's been stripped down to its barest.'' Farias -- who is the son of ex-government Marine Resources Board Chairman Danny Farias -- Barnes and Joel pleaded not guilty to all of the charges read out.

Mr. Warner set a trial date for October 2.

Court apprearance: Fisherman Micahel Barnes heads into court on Monday with his lawyer Mark Diel