They are local trawlers I believe. Well, smallish ones, not big factory ships. The rec fishermen out there have no problem at all with the commercial guys making a living, its just where and how they choose to do it. And also their attitude that they deserve rights over and above rec fishermen because they pay for quota.

It seems the commercial sector are in a 'take what you can get before someone else gets it' mode.

Maybe they have depleted their offshore stocks to a point where they need to come inshore and plunder whatever is left..