Fish supplier guilty of breaching legislation

WELL-KNOWN fish supplier Wrights of Howth yesterday pleaded guilty to a number of breaches of food legislation at its plant in Galway.

Wrights of Howth Galway Ltd was ordered to make a contribution of €5,000 to the Children in Hospital Fund and to pay a further €10,000 for the costs and witness expenses of the Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) after the company pleaded guilty to seven summonses at a partial hearing in Dublin District Court.

Among the charges against the company were falsely describing fish as being “caught at sea” when they were actually farmed and for declaring that fish had been caught in the northeast Atlantic when they were captured in Norway.

The company also pleaded guilty to not being able to produce, on inspection, marking or labelling or commercial documentation as required under law to ensure traceability, for several salmon and scallop products.

Seven similar summonses against Mark Wright, a director of the firm, were struck out.

The Food Safety Authority of Ireland, which brought the proceedings against Wrights of Howth, Galway Ltd, following a number of audits, welcomed the outcome.