Fines totalling €4,000 have been imposed at the district court in Cork on the skipper and owner of a fishing trawler.
The fines were imposed for having out-of-date safety equipment and for failing to inform authorities of the names of the skipper, seamen and apprentices on board.
Guilty pleas were entered on behalf of the skipper, Pat O'Mahony of Phelan's Lane, Kinsale, Co Cork and Labardie Fisher Ltd of Four Winds, Weaver's Point, Crosshaven, Co Cork.
Pat O'Mahony pleaded to having expired distress signals on the trawler on 5 October 2015 and having expired hydrostatic releases on life rafts.
Labardie Fisher Ltd pleaded to failing to send to the superintendent of Crosshaven a report signed on its behalf stating the names of the skipper, seamen and apprentices on board on 28 May 2015.
The company also pleaded guilty to a charge of arriving in Crosshaven on the same date with expired distress signals.
The prosecution was taken on behalf of the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport.
An expert witness for the prosecution Captain Neil Forde told the court it was very important to have up-to-date safety equipment, and to know how many people are on board a boat setting out fishing.
Captain Forde agreed that the defendant skipper and company co-operated fully with the investigation and that there was no question of safety equipment not being on the boat.
He also agreed that when the out-of-date safety equipment was brought to the defendants' attention, rectifying works were carried out in excess of requirements.
Defence barrister Cian Cotter said financial losses had already been suffered as a result of the boat being tied up for ten days and actually missing 12 days of fishing.
Judge Olann Kelleher refused to give the accused the benefit of a dismissal under the Probation of Offenders Act. He said he had to impose fines.
The defendants were fined €1,000 on each of the two charges which they faced.
