The captain of a boat with 46 Dominicans that was detained during the second week of July with 14 tons of fish and lobster captured illegally to the south of the Bahamas, has been convicted to spend 18 months in prison. The Bahamas Defense Force informed that Radhames Hernández, was one of the 46 Dominicans who appeared in court this week to answer to several charges including illegal fishing and capture of protected species during the banned period.
The fishermen were ordered to pay a fine totaling US$53,000 and one of them had to pay an additional US$100,000 as this was the second time he has been convicted of illegal fishing in Bahamian waters.
Hernández was also found guilty of possession of a firearm and was sentenced to 18 months in jail for that. The authorities said that the Dominicans first said they were innocent of the charges but later changed their pleas to guilty. Once the fines have been paid and jail sentences completed they will all be deported.
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El Dia
14 August 2018
