ROAD TOWN, British Virgin Islands — A judge agreed Tuesday to allow a fishing boat to go home to the U.S. Virgin Islands while its owner and captain face charges of fishing illegally in waters off this British Caribbean territory.

The 38-foot (11-meter) Black Pearl was seized June 13 while participating in the June Moon Blue Martin fishing tournament in the neighboring U.S. Virgin Islands.

Authorities said the vessel was found fishing illegally in the North Drop, a fertile fishing ground off the British Virgin Islands.

Owner Scott Niddrie and captain Jimmy Estrasa were charged with fishing without a license and registration. The two men, both of St. Thomas, each face a maximum fine of $500,000 if convicted. The trial starts Sept. 5.

The seizure of the sporting vessel, valued at $250,000, prompted fishing officials in St. Thomas to criticize the move as petty.

Magistrate Gail Charles on Tuesday signed an order for the boat's return, which had been negotiated between the Attorney General's Office and lawyers representing Niddrie and Estrasa. The deal requires the owner to pay $15,000 to the court before the boat is released.

British Virgin Islands authorities released another U.S.-registered fishing boat on July 15, three days after it was seized in North Drop and its Puerto Rican owner Jose Ramirez Jr. was warned about illegal fishing.

The Conservation and Fisheries Department said it did not press charges and released Ramirez' 48-foot (14-meter) boat, the Whopper, because he had always complied with local laws in the past.