A man and his company Hjarnø Havbrug are alleged to have discharged a significantly greater amount of nitrogen and phosphorus into the sea than allowed.
In a press release, Southeast Jutland Police in Denmark writes that the prosecution has brought charges in a major environmental case of fish farming with production in and out of Horsens Fjord.
The man and the company, Hjarnø Havbrug, is charged with having violated 31 conditions and is alleged to have earned EUR 25.4 million from it. Therefore, the police are demanding that amount to be confiscated.
In addition, they are accused of having provided false information to both the municipality, the Environmental Protection Agency and the Danish Fisheries Agency during the period 2014 to 2018 about the supply of juvenile fish by sea farms, production, feed consumption and nutrient discharge.
According to the police, the violations took place over a period from 2013-2018, and the man discharged a significantly greater amount of nitrogen and phosphorus into the sea than allowed.
The police have investigated the case, about exceeding environmental permits and environmental pollution caused by the owner and the company since 2015 after receiving a police report.
Since then, another report was received in June 2018. Following searches and extensive investigation, a total of 31 cases have now been prosecuted.
The defendant and the company pleaded not guilty.
