Findhorn, Nairn and Lossie Rivers Trust
Rivers benefit everyone by providing recreation opportunities and economic benefits to a region. It is up to all of us to look after them, and improve them where we can.
The River Findhorn District Salmon Fishery Board (FDSFB) is a statutory body with responsibility for protecting and enhancing stocks of salmon and sea trout on the Findhorn and its tributaries. The Findhorn DSFB is responsible for the entire River Findhorn catchment. The Findhorn Fishery District includes the River Findhorn and its tributaries plus 35 km of coastline in the Moray Firth, from Burghead to the east of the Findhorn estuary to The Bar in the west. The District extends 3 nautical miles out to sea. The Muckle, Mosset, Kinloss and Burgie Burns are also included within the District. The river arises in the Monaliadth Mountains. The catchment area is over 1,300km2 and the stream network length is about 1,500km, of which the main river comprises 90km.
The fishing season runs from 11th February until 30th September.
You can monitor river levels via the SEPA gauging stations at Forres and Shenachie.
SEPA have provided web access to many electronic gauges on the rivers of Scotland. A direct link to the Shenachie gauge data can be accessed below.
The Board was established under the 1862 and 1868 Salmon Fisheries Legislation, amended in the Salmon Act 1986 and the Salmon Conservation (Scotland) Act 2001. This legislation has been recently amalgamated under the Salmon and Freshwater Fisheries (Consolidation) (Scotland) Act 2003.
Please contact the Administrator, Clare Walker for further information:
Fisheries Office, Logie Steading, Dunphail, Forres IV36 2QN clerk@findhorndsfb.org.uk
Membership of the River Findhorn District Salmon Fishery Board comprises all proprietors on the Findhorn. A Board elected by the membership meets three times per year to monitor conditions on the river, to create, review and implement strategies and policies to ensure effective management, and to take any necessary decisions regarding the Board’s statutory duties. The Board’s legal and administrative tasks are supervised by the Clerk. The Board employs two bailiffs to police the river and to protect and enhance stocks of salmonids (salmon and sea trout). Various scientific activities necessary for protecting and enhancing stocks, such as electro fishing surveys, are contracted out to the Findhorn, Nairn and Lossie Rivers Trust.
Our Board members:
Anthony Laing, Chair
Alasdair Laing,
Alex Leven
Andrew Howard
The Earl Cawdor
Colin Glynn-Percy
Robert Hoskin
Michael Barron (Forres Angling Association)
Murray Wilson
Mark Laing (co-opted member)
Campbell Ross (co-opted member)
Clerk: Anthony Laing
From monitoring wind farm and other developments, to hatchery, prevention of poaching and more. Read more about our work across the River Findhorn.
The Findhorn District Salmon Fishery Board currently employs two full-time water Bailiffs who conduct regular and effective patrols of the river Findhorn to protect salmon and sea trout stocks and prevent poaching.
The Bailiffs also enable the Findhorn District Salmon Fishery Board to carry out its other activities.
The Bailiffs can be contacted on:
Head Bailiff: Sean McLean, 07920 483081
Assistant Bailiff, Alister Taylor 07387302649
Angling can be organised by contacting individual proprietors, or via the Forres Angling Association.
The season opens on the 11th February and closes on 30th September.
Positive action is being taken to safeguard and improve our own river environment.
Hear from our Anthony Laing (Chair) below.
Here you can find key documents, dates and resources relating to the management of the River Findhorn.
Anyone is welcome to attend advertised meetings but some agenda items may be taken in private.
The next FDSFB meeting will be held on 187th November 2025 at 10:30am. The meeting will be held in The Long Room at Logie Steading. If you would like to propose any business for this meeting, please contact the Administrator by Wednesday 12th November 2025.
For further details please contact the Administrator to the Board, at clerk@findhorndsfb.org.uk or call on 07501 767 801
Here you will find the latest annual report containing a summary of the fishing season and information on the other activities of the Fishery Board over the past year. You can also find previous years annual reports.
The Fishery Boards meet several times per year, there are two Board meetings, a meeting of Qualified Proprietors and an Annual General Meeting. The minutes of these meetings are available to the public and, once approved, can be found here.
May 2025 Minutes
November 2024 Minutes
AGM Minutes 2024
August 2024 Minutes
May 2024 Minutes
November 2023 Minutes
2023 AGM Minutes
August 2023 Minutes
May 2023 Minutes
2022 AGM Minutes
November 2022 Minutes
August 2022 Minutes
May 2022 Minutes
2021 AGM Minutes
November 2021 Minutes
August 2021 Minutes
May 2021 Minutes