Juvenile salmon numbers in the famous fishing waters of the River Dee have increased by 50% in a key tributary, suggesting the ecosystem is recovering after a cataclysmic storm four years ago.
When Storm Frank struck the north-east at the end of 2015, low-lying areas close to the River Dee were flooded when it burst its banks.
The heavy rains and subsequent flooding caused millions of pounds of damage to communities throughout Aberdeenshire and had a severe impact on the environment.
As floodwaters powered through the River Dee, much of the riverside was washed out to sea, as well as many parts of the riverbed.
The upheaval resulted in significant problems for breeding salmon and their eggs.
The River Dee Trust, which has set up various traps and monitoring sites all along the river and its tributaries to keep track of fish populations, noted a significant drop in the numbers of young salmon, or smolts, present in the waters following Storm Frank.