Copper Bank Fisherman Busted for Unprocessed Conch

Angelito Villamil

A Copper Bank fisherman was slapped with more than two thousand dollars in fines after he was found in possession of ninety-three unprocessed conchs. The fisheries bust was made earlier in October, but the fisherman, who was at sea for a long period, was summoned to be in court until today.  This morning, fifty year old Angelito Villamil appeared before Magistrate Albert Hoare and was arraigned for Possession of Unprocessed Conch.  Allegations against Villamil by the Fisheries Department are that on October twelfth, 2014, he was found at the Turneffe Atolls with conch which did not exceed seven and a half ounces in weight. Villamil pleaded guilty to the offense and the magistrate imposed a fine of five hundred dollars on him and additional charged him the  minimum fine of twenty dollars for each unprocessed conch, totaling two thousand three hundred and sixty dollars to be paid by the end of  November or in default six months in prison. The court can also demand from Villamil’s possession, any item that he owns equivalent to the amount he owes, and if he has no personal possession, he can go to jail and will have to still pay the fine when he is released.