Brian Davidson, Operations Director of ASFB and RAFTS added: “DSFBs have powers to enforce salmon fisheries legislation in Scotland via the network of highly professional water bailiffs. Nearly 400 water bailiffs have now completed formal accreditation and they play a vital role, in partnership with Police Scotland wildlife crime officers, in tackling the illegal killing of wild salmon and sea trout.”

Dr Chris Horrill, Director of RAFTS, commented: “The network of Fishery Trusts has near national coverage and generates over £3m from private and grant sources in addition to the £1.24m raised annually by RAFTS for strategic programmes of work. In the last year alone 79km of riparian habitat has been restored or improved, 2780 riparian trees have been planted, 275km of riparian fencing has been installed and access for migratory fish to 55km of river has been made possible through the removal or easement of 21 man-made barriers. Such habitat restoration work has multiple wider benefits to Scotland, including climate change mitigation, flood risk management and the creation of wildlife corridors.”

Dr Horrill added: “Our Fishery Management Planning and the Biosecurity and Invasive Non-Native Species (INNS) Programmes are also hugely significant. The INNS programme, tackling invasive non-native species such as American signal crayfish, mink and a range of alien riparian plants has itself has secured more than £5M of funding for practical work in the past five years. Trusts also complete a range of other activities which support wider fisheries and environmental management objectives including the delivery of local education programmes which have engaged tens of thousands of children across Scotland and made an important contribution to our societal understanding of the environment, freshwaters and fish.”

Fisheries Management Facts and Figures 2013 (pdf)