Laura Vincent’s skipper blamed a computer program for his fishing inside the six-to 12 mile limit. (0578556)

A FRENCH skipper found potting for whelks in British waters has been fined £2,000 by the Magistrate’s Court. Yann Lemercier, of 34, Les Tourelles, Denneville, 50580 Portbail, admitted fishing in local waters.

Sea fisheries officers discovered 10 floats with French markings on 1 May. They were two miles within British waters east of Sark. The floats were registered to the Laura Vincent, registered as CH775921.

The officers returned on 6 May and as they approached they picked up the vessel on radar. On board they found 30kg of whelks, which had not been taken in British waters. Mr Lemercier told the court that he did not realise he was within island waters as he was following a computer program. He had 15 years’ fishing experience but had been a skipper in that area only since 2007.