New network of prosecutors for fishing industry
21 Oct 04
Crown Office sets up specialist team to hook people breaking fisheries law
A network of Scottish prosecutors has been set up to tackle fisheries crime.
Five existing procurator fiscals, located at key fisheries locations around Scotland, have been nominated to develop a specialism in fisheries protection in a bid to crack down on people who ignore the restrictions. They will receive and prosecute Scottish Fisheries Protection Agency cases.
They are Douglas Monaghan at Banff, Gary Aitken at Inverness, Duncan MacKenzie at Lerwick, David Teale at Stornoway and Lochmaddy, and Clifford Most at Oban.
Solicitor General Elish Angiolini QC said: “The Crown Office and the Procurator Fiscal Service takes the contravention of fisheries regulation seriously and is committed to improving its specialism in this area of law.
"The decision to take criminal proceedings, or not in individual cases is made independently by the Crown. However close working with Scottish Fisheries Protection Agency is valuable in ensuring that fisheries offences are effectively investigated to allow tough action where public interest requires it.”
In addition to the prosecutors a senior member of Crown Office, John Watt, area procurator fiscal for Grampian has been given departmental responsibility for fisheries regulation protection.