Fines for illegal fishing offences will double to $50,000 after the House of Assembly passed amendments aimed at protecting Bermuda’s fish stocks.Under the Fisheries Act, the Environment Minister can ban people from taking certain fish and using certain fishing methods in protected zones; while restrictions are also placed against the importing and exporting of fish.Currently the maximum fine for breaching the laws is $25,000, but that doubles under the changes approved by MPs yesterday.Delivering the brief on the amendments yesterday, Environment Minister Walter Roban said the new penalties may seem outlandish to some, but the Island’s marine life is extremely fragile. He said some species in Bermuda’s waters, such as black groupers, are genetically distinct.“Government has to protect our resources and make sure fish stocks are protected from any possible risk,” Mr Roban told the House.He said fishermen, restaurants, glass bottom boat operators and dive boat operators all rely on fish in one way or another.“The proper management of our fisheries is vitally important to the health of our fish population and our economy,” he said.Shadow Environment Minister Cole Simons said Government is not doing enough to protect fish stocks, noting a string of measures outlined in a white paper six years ago have not been implemented.That white paper said penalties should go as high as $250,000, said Mr Simons.Mr Roban called out that now is not the time to fleece fishermen, but Mr Simons replied fishermen are law-abiding citizens and that the penalties should only affect those that flout the law.Mr Simons said fishermen have told him their industry is in a state of crisis and needs more help from Government.He said the Island needs more tourists to support those who provide fishing trips for a living, while commercial fishermen are now competing with professionals who go fishing in the evening.“The fish industry feel they don’t have a close working relationship with the Ministry of the Environment,” said Mr Simons.“We need to ensure that we update the legislation so we can better manage the exploitation of our resources.”Former Environment Minister Glenn Blakeney argued Government does hold meetings with fishermen, and said when drafting fishing legislation it is dealing with a moving target.Mr Blakeney named the gulf oil spill as an example of an unpredictable factor which can impact on Bermuda.Government MP Marc Bean, a keen fisherman, said he was pleased to see the fines increased. He told the House it is disappointing that when hard working wardens catch wrongdoers “half the time these fishermen are brought before the courts and they receive a slap on the wrist”.Mr Bean said he knows some fishermen who will take ten protected black groupers, knowing full well that selling just one of them will cover any fine they get.“We have some rogue fishermen on this Island, I call them the Pirates of the Atlantic,” he said.He said he and commercial fishermen have no time for such people, which is why they are glad to see the new rules brought in.He warned: “Fishermen are free thinkers and free spirits and they are getting tired ... I just hope the rogue fisherman doesn’t get caught in the wrong place at the wrong time.”Responding to the points raised during the debate, Mr Roban pledged: “We will do more around enforcement. We have around four wardens and we’re looking to add another and we also get assistance from the police, and the Government has other plans about how to better do things on the water to assist our marine environment, perhaps with the Regiment and perhaps with other bodies.”