A second tuna vessel skipper is expected in court

AS efforts continue to assist the Japanese tuna vessel, Tasei Maru, which lost five crewmen in a gas leak while off the Irish coast, the second Japanese vessel detained this week had almost £1 million of fish and gear on board when inspected in Castletownbere yesterday.

The skipper of the Shoshin Maru is expected to appear in court in Co Cork today following his vessel's detention by the LE Deirdre 190 miles west of Galway Bay on Thursday. The 200ft ship had 80 tonnes of bluefin tuna on board - which can fetch £15 a kilo - and has the capacity to catch 300 tonnes. It had 26 crew and is one of a 200 strong Japanese fleet currently in the north Atlantic.

Subject to the Director of Public Prosecutions, the skipper may be charged with illegal fishing within the Irish exclusive limits unlawful entry, illegal marking of buoys and vessel, and obstruction of a sea fisheries protection officer. Like the Manato Maru - apprehended by the LE Aisling working with the Air Corps on Wednesday - the vessel supplies the Japan Tuna Fisheries Company in Tokyo. The co operative has a fleet of 800 vessels worldwide.

The Minato Maru was due to put to sea from Castletownbere, Co Cork, last night on confirmation of its bail bond, following the skipper's appearance in court yesterday. Capt Tsukasa Nagasawa was remanded to appear at Cork Circuit Criminal Court on his own bail of £100, and Judge Connellan also made an order that the vessel and its contents be detained until security of £283,936 the value of the catch gear, possible fines and costs - were lodged.

Some five sets of longlining gear at 80 nautical miles long were identified by the Naval Service and Air Corps during this week's operation. Some 30 Japanese longliners standing off the 200 mile limit moved out of radar range for a time on Thursday. Following yesterday's reported accident on the Taisei Maru, four sister ships were said to be standing by while the LE Aisling proceeded to the location at 53 degrees 27 north and 16 degrees 48 west.

The five who died are Japanese, while some of the 21 crew are Indonesian. The Cork agents for the 200 strong north Atlantic fleet provided interpretation by radio for the Taisei Maru last night as the LE Aisling prepared to board. None of the crew on board the vessel are believed to have English. For language reasons, the agent requested that the Irish Marine Emergency Service (IMES) provide assistance to bring the vessel to Cork, even though it would not be the nearest port.

Unidentified gear still remains within the Irish 200 mile limit and the Japanese fleet is expected to stay close to Irish territorial limits as long as the migratory bluefin are in the area.

Japan has no agreement within the EU and is not permitted to fish within Irish waters, in spite of several approaches for permission to engage in exploratory fishing. However, Japanese vessels have used Cork and Galway for resupplying and each of these visits is worth £50,000 to the ports, according to the Irish agent, Mr Des Morrissey, of RA Burke and Co Ltd in Cork.

That the fleet of the world's largest fish importer will cross two oceans in pursuit of this species illustrates the lost potential to Ireland, Mr Tom Hassett, of the Irish South and West Fishermen's Organisation (IS&WFO), said last night, when he expressed sympathy with the families of the dead crewmen.