The rights to fish for salmon and freshwater fish in Scotland are privately owned. Fishing for salmon and sea trout without the legal right, or written permission from a person having such a right, is a criminal offence. Fishing for all other freshwater fish without the right or written permission is, in general, a civil offence.
There is demand for increased availability of fishing, but satisfying this demand must be within the context of maintaining sustainable fisheries. Access to angling can be increased not only by opening up new fisheries, but also through bringing existing opportunities to the attention of the angling public.
The following pages provide an in-depth account of the legal basis of fishing for salmon and freshwater fish in Scotland, including information on the mechanisms for enforcement. Also described is the scope for wider access to fishing and the importance of angling to the Scottish tourism industry.
For legal methods see: 'Freshwater fish and fishing in Scotland'