Shetland skippers pay almost £3m over 'black fish'

Some of the 17 skippers were ordered to pay six-figure sums

Fishing skippers who lied about the size of catches from their Shetland boats have been ordered to hand over almost £3m in confiscation orders.

Judge Lord Turnbull made 17 orders at the High Court in Edinburgh, over so-called "black fish".

The decision is set to allow the skippers to be fined next month.

Fish processing company Shetland Catch, which has admitted helping the skippers to give false information, has still to settle the question of confiscation.

The company has been taken over since it was caught helping to land black fish in the North East Port between February 2003 and March 2005.

It agreed to hand over £165,000 of illegal profits and is facing sentence next month.

The 17 individual skippers in court today were ordered to pay the following sums:

Laurence Irvine, 66, of Aviemore, Symbister, Whalsay - £210,700; Gary Williamson, 52, of Norvag, Symbister, Whalsay - £118,500; William Williamson, 64, of Westerlea, Symbister, Whalsay - £213,200; George Henry, 60, of Noonsbrough, Clousta, Bixta - £51,300; John Stewart, 56, of 57 King Harald Street, Lerwick - £41,300, and Colin Leask, 38, of Vaarhjem; Simbister, Whalsay - £12,000.

David Hutchison, 66 of Ankerhus, Hillhead, Symbister - £140,900 Robert Polson, 48, of 17 Breiwick Road, Lerwick - £371,300; Thomas Eunson, 56, of Westwinds, Symbister - £140,500; Allen Anderson, 55, of Solvei, Symbister - £2,700; John Irvine, 68, of Braeside, Symbister - £236,000 and Allister Irvine, 63, of Karinya, Symbister - £120,600.

Victor Buschini, 51, of Cuckoos Nest, Kiln Lane, Hambleton, Poulton Le Flyde, Lancashire - £341,000, and Hamish Slater, 52, of 8 Strichan Road, Fraserburgh - £425,900.

George Anderson, 55, of Harbourview, Symbister - £40,700; Alexander Masson, 65, of 89 Strichen Road, Fraserburgh - £283,000 and Alexander Wiseman, 60, of 3 Sandyhills Gardens, Banff - £196,000.