claimed a local fishermen who said he was furious that the five-year-old fishpot ban was being flagrantly disregarded by some.

Challenger skipper and fisherman Captain Alan Card discovered three illegal pots 25 miles north west of the Island at Argus Bank yesterday afternoon.

But he said they were just a few of the pots fished on a daily basis in the area popular with both amateur and professional fishermen.

Captain Card said the pots, which he estimated were under two months old, had been set just hours earlier with fresh bait. He estimated the value of the fish in the two pots he found at over $100.

"It seems a few bad individuals are ruining it for everyone,'' he said.

"This is one of the reasons why we don't have any fish left.'' He claimed illegal fishing occurred on a daily basis. Some cowboy fishermen had even gone high-tech with electronic equipment which allowed them to locate their traps without the use of markers, he claimed.

"It's a very difficult thing to police,'' he said. "It will never stop.'' His brother Captain Andrew Card discovered the pots by chance when a rope became tangled in the propeller of his boat. When Captain Alan Card came to his rescue, he discovered two more.

Captain Alan Card claimed he pulled up the pots and reported the matter to the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries.

Director of Agriculture and Fisheries Mr. John Barnes was unavailable for comment last night.