Overfishing fears

As an “ex-enforcer”, I have been following with interest the prosecution of those catching and processing illegal amounts of mackerel (your report, 25 January).

I can only congratulate the Scottish fisheries protection people, whatever their new name may be.

I was less happy to read that a defence offered was that landing of “black fish” (fish in excess of quota or entitlement) was widespread, even though illegal.

I recall that illegal landings also featured in the white fish sector in the past, when fillet yield per box trended suspiciously upwards.

Such events make the desire of Iceland and the Faroes unilaterally to increase their mackerel quotas more understandable.

It will certainly make the job of industry spokesmen and our governments a lot harder, given the level of over-quota landings, even without the changing movements of the mackerel shoals over the years.

L V McEwan

Kirkill Road

Edinburgh