Six more Shetland fishermen have admitted their parts in a scam worth more than £15 million appeared at the High Court in Edinburgh. The report states that out of five boats involved, one skipper’s illegal catch of “black fish”, worth more than £5.6 million, is the highest figure yet admitted.
The fishermen were Symbister-based Laurence Irvine, 64; Gary Williamson, 51; William Williamson, 63, and Colin Leask, 37, along with John Stewart, 55, a Whalsay man living in King Harald Street, Lerwick, and George Henry, 59, of Noonsbrough, Clousta. Tonnes of herring and mackerel were landed illegally to exceed quotas set by European Union regulations which aim to protect fish stocks.
Judge Lord Turnbull was told that, so far, the total value of illegal fish landings has been put at more than £37 million. Advocate depute Peter Ferguson QC, prosecuting, said the offences were committed between January 2002 and March 2005. Ferguson said the pelagic fishing vessels which go after mackerel over the winter months and herring in the summer were the largest and most profitable in the Scottish fishing fleet.
According to Ferguson the protection officers became suspicious that there were widespread illegal landings of mackerel and herring. Eight processing factories in Scotland have been examined. The firm was raided in September 2005 and the scam came to light. The fishermen all admitted breaches of the Sea Fishing (Enforcement of Community Control Measures) (Scotland) Order 2000 and the Fisheries Act 1981.
Meanwhile the six Shetland fishermen who admitted similar offences in August are still awaiting sentence. A new court date in February has been fixed for David Hutchison, 64; Robert Polson, 47; Thomas Eunson, 55; Allen Anderson, 54; John Irvine, 66 and Allister Irvine, 61.
