Illegal fishing on the beaches of Haifa • Probation and a fine of tens of thousands of shekels for fishermen caught in the act

Probation and a fine of NIS 20 for two fishermen who fished illegally in the marine nature reserve located off the coast of Haifa

The Haifa Magistrate's Court convicted two fishermen from the city of Acre, in their 20s, for illegal fishing in the marine nature reserve located in Haifa and sentenced them to suspended prison terms and a monetary fine in the total amount of NIS 20,000.

According to the indictment, the two defendants fished in November 2019 in the declared nature reserve that is located in violation of the law and the existing signage in the reserve. The two did this using a net from a motorized boat, while working to make identifications difficult.

The two were documented in real time by a photographer and naturalist, who traveled in the area and knew the rules of the prohibition on fishing in the reserve, photographed them in the act and passed the details and findings to the inspectors of the Nature and Parks Authority. As a result, the fishermen who were identified by the inspectors based on the photos, were invited to the Nature and Parks Authority for questioning, their boat was seized and a legal process began, at the end of which the fishermen admitted their guilt and the offenses attributed to them.

The defendants were charged with 3 offenses, including: prohibition of harming a nature reserve, harming an animal in a nature reserve and prohibition of introducing foreign material (fishing net) into the reserve.

One fisherman, who has a previous similar conviction, was sentenced to 3 months of probation, a fine of 11 thousand NIS and fulfillment of an obligation from a previous conviction in the amount of an additional 4,000 NIS. This is in addition to a financial commitment of 15,000 thousand NIS to avoid similar offenses for about two years.

The second fisherman was sentenced to 3 months of probation, a fine of NIS 5,000 and a financial commitment of NIS 11,000 thousand to avoid similar offenses for about two years.

The Marine Unit of the Nature and Parks Authority stated:
Illegal and uncontrolled fishing activity is one of the main causes of destroying marine habitats and reducing the frequency of many fish populations throughout the world. By their actions, the accused harmed the reserve and the fish living in it. The vigilance of the photographer and nature lover who photographed the acts in real time and assisted us in the process that led to their conviction deserves praise. This conviction is an important part of the enforcement efforts we undertake to preserve the fishing resource and the nature reserves and the public has the opportunity to assist in this a lot as is evident from this case. The Nature and Parks Authority, with the inspectors deployed all over the country, will continue to work for the preservation of nature in Israel and against those who try to damage it in violation of the law."

Attorney Shai Peretz, chief prosecutor at the Nature and Parks Authority: "Once again it is proven that the integration of the arms of the Nature Authority with the Ministry of Agriculture yields the deterrent and appropriate punishment against those who harm the natural resources that are very dear to us. Accordingly, the bodies will continue with uncompromising enforcement and with great efficiency."