MuckleJoannie Posted February 26, 2012 Report Share Posted February 26, 2012 The sales were all invoiced by the boats for the fukll amount due. http://www.shetnews.co.uk/news/3441-a-black-day-for-fishing.html The third element in the network were the fishing agents, including Lerwick’s LHD Ltd, when they invoiced the factory for the fish. The agents had three methods of invoicing. Firstly they simply submitted two invoices, one matching the declared landing and the second correct invoice being marked secret. This was replaced by inflating the price per tonne so the smaller amount of fish appeared on the invoice, but the total value of the actual catch was covered. The third method involved what was called the “Japanese bonusâ€, ostensibly to pay for good quality fish, when in fact it was to disguise the true size of the landing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scorrie Posted February 26, 2012 Report Share Posted February 26, 2012 The sad thing about all this is that Shetlands good name and reputation have been dragged through the mud.This was one of the lead stories on news at ten last night. Joe Public not involved in the fishing industry or in the know probably wouldn't give a stuff. That said, certain members of Joe Public will have watched a recent documentary on (I think?) Channel 4 outlining how stupid the EU's policy of throwing fish back into the sea is and the recent campaign on why it should be scrapped/modified. Those members of Joe Public who did watch aforementioned documentary will not be thinking about Shetland's good name but many will probably be thinking good luck to them for getting away with it and sticking two fingers up at the EU. Other members of Joe Public will, however, sadly, be thinking that Shetland is down near the Falkland Islands. And other members of Joe Public will listen to tales of how hard up the fishing fleet are and how we should cut them some slack. Sounds reasonable. Then they will hear how some of the wealthiest owners have been fleecing the system and will probably laugh at any further attempts by the fishing industry to get support...... We're not exactly talking about a one man bander caught with an undersized net here, are we? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scoots Posted February 26, 2012 Report Share Posted February 26, 2012 I had a group of old friends up for a visit, from all round the UK, recently. We didn't talk about this, but all bar one of the six had heard through various sources that there are more millionaires in Shetland/Whalsay, per head of population, than anywhere else in the UK. You can try and explain the population is limited here, therefore these figures are a touch skewed (see, Peat? ), but it's hard to deny a fair few of these folk are on serious money. I still remember that skipper who said, in Court, he never left the islands without at least £5,000 cash on him, for travelling money, ie fun and games in the boats "casino"! If only... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ll Posted February 26, 2012 Report Share Posted February 26, 2012 I had a group of old friends up for a visit, from all round the UK, recently. We didn't talk about this, but all bar one of the six had heard through various sources that there are more millionaires in Shetland/Whalsay, per head of population, than anywhere else in the UK. You can try and explain the population is limited here, therefore these figures are a touch skewed (see, Peat? ), but it's hard to deny a fair few of these folk are on serious money. I still remember that skipper who said, in Court, he never left the islands without at least £5,000 cash on him, for travelling money, ie fun and games in the boats "casino"! If only... If they are that well off in Whalsay, maybe they can fork out the money for their own tunnel? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ghostrider Posted February 26, 2012 Report Share Posted February 26, 2012 ^^ Dunna tink dat wis a Qualsa man. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dratsy Posted February 27, 2012 Report Share Posted February 27, 2012 yea dat wis an Ollaberry fellow Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scoots Posted February 27, 2012 Report Share Posted February 27, 2012 I did say "Shetland/Whalsay". That aside, that is the sort of thing, coupled with this case, that presents everyone in the fishing industry - if not everyone in Shetland (to the more dim folk South) - to folk South as being rolling in dosh, chucking their money away and generally living the life of Riley. I think we can all concede that, while there are indeed a few wealthy folk involved in the fishing these days (and some of those involved here amongst them!) most others struggle and work bloody hard just to get by. I personally feel that their greed let all their fellows down, and portrayed Shetland in a bad light, which it certainly does not deserve. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Infiltrator Posted February 27, 2012 Report Share Posted February 27, 2012 As I've mentioned before, I'm keen to understand the role of Shetland Catch in all this. Yes the fishermen convicted broke the law, but the crime was very well organised and it looks like Shetland Catch, or at least some senior management at the factory were at the centre of the scam, if not responsible for setting up the scam in the first place. All that's ever mentioned in relation to Shetland Catch is 'the management' or 'the owners' this seems somewhat odd given that the fishermen have had their names in the press for months, and yet presumably the factory is at the centre of the whole crime. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scoots Posted February 27, 2012 Report Share Posted February 27, 2012 But, as others have said, I believe the fishermen now dealt with, those responsible at the Catch will be up next before the sheriff. I don't think there can be any question that it was them who set up the whole scam, and not the fishermen. The responsibility would, therefore, be theirs, in my view. We will see... And from things I've heard, if true, that will be an interesting few days in the courtroom! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scoots Posted February 27, 2012 Report Share Posted February 27, 2012 Were they never named at the time of the original raids? I would have thought the Times would have had details... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ghostrider Posted February 27, 2012 Report Share Posted February 27, 2012 I personally feel that their greed let all their fellows down, and portrayed Shetland in a bad light, which it certainly does not deserve. Point taken. It something Shetland and Shetlanders could very well have done without, in exactly the same way as we could have well done without Stuart Hill portraying them us as a bunch of naive, half crazy eccentrics, or the SIC portraying us as a bunch of bumbling incompetents. I don't think either one is the publicity anyone would have chosen had they had a say in it, but we didn't, and at the end of the day IMHO this fish racket will do the least "damage" of the three. It happened, and once H.M's people have gotten done with securing their pound of flesh, it will steadily fade away in to the distance as life goes on, unlike either Hill or the SIC who seem hell bent on continuing their antics to eternity. Personally I'd rather others saw me as a greedy beggar, than a crazy eccentric (although it has a certain charm) or a bumbling incompetent, but that's just me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Incongruous Eel Posted February 27, 2012 Report Share Posted February 27, 2012 @scoots http://www.shetlandtimes.co.uk/2010/01/29/six-face-prosecution-in-connection-with-illegal-shetland-catch-landings Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ghostrider Posted February 27, 2012 Report Share Posted February 27, 2012 Were they never named at the time of the original raids? I would have thought the Times would have had details... The then M.D. and Asst. M.D. of Catch were charged individually in January 2010. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scoots Posted February 27, 2012 Report Share Posted February 27, 2012 That's what I thought. Thanks for that! GR, I have to say, much as I'd rather not be party to any of the three, I have to agree with you that this is the least damaging, in my opinion also. The others will be around long after this is forgotten, just as you said. A sad chapter, all the same, and no done yet, until the other two have been up and had their day in the dock. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Infiltrator Posted February 27, 2012 Report Share Posted February 27, 2012 ^Thanks for the replies, it's odd that the media have recently only referred to them as the Shetland Catch management - it made it sound like there were lots of management from the factory involved? Arguably the skippers drive was greed from the extra fish they sold (& paid tax on) but surely it would have been difficult for the MD's of the factory to benefit personally? What I'm trying to say is presumably the extra fish was just extra business and extra work for the factory? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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