Two "small boats" fishermen have lost their appeal against convictions and heavy fines for exceeding their monthly quota (The Argus, June 29).
Surely the fines, at £7,496 and £6,574, are out of all proportion because, as your article stated, these were two small boats operating from the beach.
They were not large trawlers, capable of exceeding their quotas by many tonnes.
The appeal court judges could have exercised more common sense and dealt with them more leniently.
It appears the need to uphold EU regulations which enforce laws that are not always proportionate to individual cases is more important than having a fair and just system.
I cannot imagine a French court would have issued the same kind of fines to their fishermen.
Isn't it time the government started helping our declining fishing industry instead of fining it?
-Tony Bailey, Lancing
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