THE North Yorkshire port of Whitby was reeling yesterday after virtually its entire fishing fleet was convicted of wholesale breaching of European quotas.

The skippers and masters of nine vessels - all but one of the fleet - were fined a total of £122,800, plus costs of £40,000, after illegally landing "blackfish".

But Hull Crown Court was told the industry had been driven to its knees by the strict controls and the offences were not borne of greed.

"They were a commercial necessity," said Ian Lawrie, defending the fishermen.

The men admitted 55 deception charges, involving false book-keeping to hide the size of their catches and keep them under quota limits set to protect dwindling stocks.

The scam involved ten skippers, nine ships and two trawler companies landing an estimated £475,000 worth of haddock, cod and whiting over three months in 2003, according to Defra's barrister, Simon Phillips.

The fish was sold at auction on Whitby quayside - but only £149,000-worth was declared.

Defra became suspicious when recorded landings of fish dropped by 35 per cent and fisheries officers later boarded ships at sea, raided offices and seized computer records.

The defendants had to be squeezed into the jury box at Hull to accommodate them all and Mr Lawrie told the judge: "What you have here is the entire fishing fleet of Whitby. It is a sad reflection of the perilous state of the white fishing industry of a town. It is literally on its knees. How it got there is a long process."

Judge Simon Jack said he accepted the men were trying to protect a community, employment and a way of life.

But he added: "These regulations are in place to protect fish stocks which some say are near total collapse."

Following the case, Defra fisheries inspector Colin George said: "Landing fish without declaring it is cheating other fishermen. It undermines the genuine efforts of the Government working with the fishing industry to sustain our fisheries and secure a profitable future.

"Landings of illegal, undeclared fish can undermine the price of legally landed fish. This can and will seriously affect the future of the fishing industry."

But one of those fined, skipper Richard Brewer, said afterwards: "It was a temporary thing and we didn't want to do it - but we had to do it to make the vessels pay. When quotas were tightened we were given no help or support. Defra just cut us adrift."

Defendants and fines were: Locker Trawlers Ltd, £52,500; John Hall, £3,000; Steven Veart, £10,000; Arnold Locker, £6,000; Mark Cole, £4,500; James Cole, £12,000; Arrivain Fishing Company Ltd, £9,000; Richard Brewer, £4,500; Richard Marsay, £9,000; David Locker, £4,500; Andrew Locker, £3,750, James Locker, £4,050.

* Fishing quotas have been regularly cut in recent years in an effort to preserve dwindling stocks. Following an agreement yesterday, the total cod catch shared between Norwegian and European Union fleets next year will fall to 23,205 tonnes from 27,300. The herring quota drops to 454,751 tonnes from 535,000. Cuts will also be made in catches of haddock, saithe and plaice.