A LOOPHOLE means Russian boats can take fish worth millions of pounds from Scottish waters.
The Telegraph reported that a ban on Russian boats entering UK waters or landing at British ports does not extend to a “special area” over which control is shared with the Faroe Islands.
UK Government officials told that paper that at least six Russian boats had recently entered that area of the north coast of Scotland under Faroese licences.
Whitehall is reportedly concerned that allowing the boats access during an upcoming migration period for Blue Whiting will see Russia profit from the fish, funding Vladimir Putin’s “war machine”.
A government source told The Telegraph: “The Faroe Islands must take a tougher stance on this. Allowing Russian vessels access to an area worth around £16 million in the midst of the horrors we are seeing in Ukraine is simply wrong.
“We, alongside our allies and partners, have taken urgent action to maximise damage to Putin’s war machine and degrade the Russian economy for years to come.
“We will categorically not licence any Russian flagged vessels to fish anywhere in UK waters, and we will continue to urge the Faroes to follow our lead, ban these vessels, and do what is ultimately the right thing to do.”
Blue Whiting, which comes from the same family as cod, haddock and pollock, is usually processed into fish food or oil.
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