A FATHER and son were each fined £65,000 yesterday for flouting fishing quotas.
Ernest Simpson, 65, and son Allan Simpson, 43, both of Fraserburgh, admitted their parts in a "black fish" scam which has seen more than two dozen skippers in court.
Ernest Simpson's illegal landings of fish were worth £2,031,501 and Allan Simpson admitted illegal landings of £2,712,630. Ernest agreed to pay £362,826 under confiscation procedures. Allan was hit with a confiscation order for £361,621.
At the High Court in Edinburgh, judge Lord Turnbull said the fact the skippers made no attempt to hide what they were doing and even paid tax on their illegal earnings helped reduce the fines.
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