Two fishermen, who have made a living off the high seas for more than 100 years between them, have had their fishing licences revoked.

Sixty-seven-year-old Stanley (Jack) O'Connor and Leslie Pitcher, 60, admitted using fish pots in Castle Harbour last November despite the fish pot ban imposed since 1990.

They each pleaded guilty, on advice from lawyer David Cooper, in Magistrates' Court earlier this year to three offences of using fixed fishing gear without a licence. And they were both fined $1,500.

But neither of the fishermen expected what came last week.

Environment Minister Irving Pearman informed them that their licences were to be revoked and that they should remove the numbers on their boats by yesterday.

In a letter dated June 19, after meeting with the men, Mr. Pearman wrote: "In reaching my decision to revoke your licence I took into account the statements made by you but I was mindful of the seriousness of the offences of which you have been found guilty and the impact of your actions on both the Bermuda marine environment and the fishing industry.'' Yesterday Bermuda Industrial Union president Derrick Burgess argued that the veteran fishermen had been punished twice.

And the union has appealed to the Minister to reconsider his decision and asked him to allow the fishermen to continue to earn a "legitimate'' living.

"This is their only means of earning a living,'' Mr. Burgess stressed. "To penalise these fellows this way is unjust. It would seem the Government is bent on crippling the workers.

"When employers contravene the law, their businesses are not shut down.'' "What are these men supposed to do,'' he asked. "They have been beaten up twice.'' Both fishermen, who claimed that they found the fish pots and "just reset them'', said they did not believe they will be able to make a decent living line fishing.

Mr. Pitcher -- who has already struck out at job hunting -- has medical bills totalling $87,500 due to recent heart surgery. He also has no house or insurance, Mr. Burgess pointed out.

"It is our belief that to strip a man of his livelihood is surely the cruelest punishment of all,'' he said.

Mr. O'Connor, whose relatives also use his boats for fishing, said he wished he had sought advice from the union before admitting to the offences.

But Fisheries director John Barnes said the men had committed the offences on three separate occasions.

And he pointed out that not only had the men broken the law, but they had also carried out the equivalent of breaching a contract since fishermen received compensation as a result of the fish pot ban.

Both Mr. O'Connor and Mr. Pitcher, however, scoffed at this, stressing that the money they received -- an average of $10,000 each -- could in no way compensate their expenses over the years.

But Mr. Pearman, when contacted yesterday, made it clear that he had no intention of reconsidering his decision.

He said he had heard the fishermen's appeal and was convinced they were well aware that they were acting illegally.

"They were caught on more than one occasion pulling fish pots into their boats and taking fish,'' Mr. Pearman noted. "The court brought them in guilty for committing offences on more than one occasion.