Fisheries Management Scotland and members are involved with Operation Wingspan, a a year-long focus on wildlife crime. We are working with Police Scotland at both national and local level to ensure fish poaching is tackled in a collaborative way, involving joint working between water bailiffs and Police Scotland. 

Police have charged six people with poaching offences as part of a drive against wildlife crime, codenamed Operation Wingspan. The alleged incidents all took place in the north east in the past month.

Four men were alleged to have been fishing without permission at the River Deveron at around 8.50pm on Monday July 5. The river is routinely used to fish for salmon and trout and requires a permit to do so legally.

Following inquiries, four men were traced and charged in connection with the incident and a report has been submitted to the Procurator Fiscal.

In a separate incident, officers received a report of possible salmon poaching in the Craigellachie area of Aberlour around 5pm on Saturday July 24.

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