A fisherman who took a catch from protected waters was given a conditional discharge in Magistrates’ Court.

Angelo Pitcher, 36, admitted taking the fish in the northeastern restricted area when he appeared in court yesterday.

Members of the Royal Bermuda Regiment Coastguard saw Pitcher’s boat in the area on August 24 last year, the court heard.

Officers placed a rockfish that they found on board in a freezer at Warwick Camp to use as evidence.

Pitcher, who has been a fisherman for about 15 years, told the court that he was trolling near the area, which has a 300-metre radius, and tried to release the fish when he caught it, but said it was already injured when he pulled it aboard.

Magistrate Maria Sofianos sentenced Pitcher, from St George’s, to a six-month conditional discharge for the offence.

Ms Sofianos warned Pitcher to keep out of trouble during that period and ordered the fish, which was still in the freezer at Warwick Camp, to be forfeited.

Another man, 29-year-old Tehon Fox, was charged yesterday with taking a fish from the same area two days before Pitcher did.

Mr Fox, also from St George’s, denied the offence, as well as having more than one black grouper on his boat, Calculated Risk.

Magistrate Maria Sofianos adjourned the case to April 7 and released Mr Fox on $5,000 bail until that time.

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