THE IRISH NAVAL service has detained a German-registered fishing vessel for multiple suspected breaches of sea-fisheries legislation in Irish waters.

The Ortegal Tres was escorted to a port in Castletownbere, Co Cork after an investigation under the European Fisheries Control Agency with the Irish Naval Service and the Sea-Fisheries Protection Authority while it was operating in the Irish Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).

The Master of the vessel appeared before a special sitting of Bandon District Court on Monday and was charged with 25 fishing offences.

A trial with a judge and jury is due to follow.

The Irish Naval Service detained the fishing vessel on 7 February for alleged breaches of fishing regulations after analysis of its Electronic Logbook and Vessel Monitoring System positions over several weeks.

Irish Naval Service vessel LÉ Samuel Beckett detained the fishing vessel and escorted it to Castletownbere, where it arrived in port on Saturday.

The operated followed an intel report from a confidential source received by the SFPA and Irish Naval Service on 6 January regarding the vessel and its alleged breaches.

The Fisheries Monitoring Centre monitored and analysed the vessel when it entered Ireland’s EEZ in late January.

An aerial surveillance aircraft, at the request of the Irish Naval Service, gathered video footage of the vessel that verified the intel received and additional evidence that was gathered, according to the Sea-Fisheries Protection Authority.