Judge fines men for illegal fishing activity at Laghey’s Trumman Lough

A judge at Donegal District Court convicted two men for fishing offences at Trumman Lough, Laghey, and fined them €250 each plus costs of €741.91 each.

Judge Éiteáin Cunningham allowed the defendants, Vadyma Chumak, of Carrick, and Yurii Hryhoriev, of Kilcar, five months to pay in her judgement at Ballyshannon Courthouse.

The defendants, who had no previous convictions, were convicted on two charges, the first charge being that on April 26, 2025, in Trumman Lough, Laghey, they did use a boat as an aid to the commission of an offence under the provisions of the Fisheries (Consolidation) Act, 1959, contrary to the form of Section 285A of the said Act as inserted by Section 24 of the Fisheries (Amendment) Act, 1962, as amended.

A second charge was that the defendants did fish or attempt to fish for coarse fish in fresh water of Trumman Lough, other than by rod and line, contrary to the form of Article 4 of the Control of Fishing for coarse fish in Fresh Water Bye-law No. 595, 1977. 

Inland Fisheries Officer, Eoin McManus told the Court: “I would like to mention that the two individuals were very compliant. We had no issues, and the two men were very apologetic. After the day of the offence, they came into the station and further apologised for their actions. 

“We would issue a fixed charge penalty if it were one offence, but due to the scale and quantity of fish, we had to go to legal proceedings.”

McManus said that there was signage placed at the lake, and that anglers had to look over regulations. 

READ NEXT: Crime & Court

The defendant’s solicitor, Jim Corbett, said: “These gentlemen are involved in the community. 

“They are not professionals in the area of angling. They did wrong and put their hands up straight away.” 

Corbett asked the Judge to “be as lenient as possible” and said that the costs were “quite substantial.”

In giving her ruling, Judge Cunningham said she accepted that the defendants had no previous convictions.

She commented: “However, the scale and the number of fish taken illegally are concerning, and it is important that your clients are aware of that. The rules and regulations are there to preserve.”