Criticism is wide of the mark

Sir, – Your regular correspondent Derek Farmer once again writes about a subject he appears to know little or nothing about – on this occasion it is fishing (Letters, October 26)

He states that significant powers will be devolved to the Scottish Parliament which is not quite correct as we have seen over these past few months.

In fact these fishing powers are among those being retained.

Mr Farmer then accuses foreign fishers for decimating our fishing stock by plundering our waters.

Records show that 45% of all Scottish fishing quotas are controlled by just five families, all of whom appear on the list of British millionaires.

These records also show that 13 of the top 25 quota holders were convicted of Scotland’s shame – the black fishing scam – and were hit with massive fines.

For years the industry denied their guilt and is only now trying to make amends with conservation measures because fishing was faced with extinction.

Indeed were it not for the EU, it is arguable there would be no fish to catch.

Finally Mr Farmer suggests that an independent Scotland would not be granted EU membership.

A pity for your correspondent, then, that the EU has stated that Scotland would be most welcome – as Mr Barnier informed Conservative MP Ross Thomson in the House of Commons just a few months back

Stephen Windsor. The Holdings, Kinfauns.