Fish firm bosses ‘did not profit from illegal catches’

A COMPANY at the heart of the UK’s biggest “black fish” scam did not use its illegal income to line the pockets of directors or shareholders, a judge was told yesterday.

Prosecutors claim that helping quota-dodging fishing boat skippers to land mackerel and herring, which they did not declare to the authorities, earned Lerwick-based Shetland Catch Ltd more than £6 million.

Using legislation more usually directed against drug barons, the Crown is demanding that the fish processing plant should hand over £6,157,000.

Shetland Catch, which also faces a heavy fine once a confiscation figure is agreed, is challenging the demand.

Judge Lord Turnbull has heard a week of evidence and legal argument at the High Court in Edinburgh and is expected to give his ruling on 14 June .

In a final plea yesterday, defence QC