Poaching headache for cash-strapped trout fishery’s owner

Kinross firm forced to buy CCTV as lockdown sees rise in number of thefts

A fishery has had to buy expensive CCTV equipment to protect its stock from poachers cashing in on the lockdown.

Kinross Trout Fishery management say they are normally targeted by the odd poacher on winter nights but must now monitor the loch 24 hours a day.

With no paying anglers to scare off hungry cormorants, director Garry Hunter’s fish stock is already depleted and illegal anglers are also raiding the loch’s £70,000 worth of stock.

The ex-policeman said: “If people were dying for food, I wouldn’t mind but poachers are just using this as an opportunity.”

Mr Hunter, 52, said: “Last week, we decided that the risk was low but the severity was a potential fatality, so we decided to close. Lockdown was announced the next day.”

“We had signs of poachers over the winter. We’ve had to invest in wildlife cameras which send photos to my phone every time the beams are crossed. I shouldn’t have to be spending £800 to watch my stock.”

He is worried as his business is not eligible for non-domestic rates relief and he and his two part-time staff must rely on the 80% salary payment scheme from Westminster.

But after using his savings to set up the business in May 2018, Mr Hunter fears deciding not to take a wage for the first five months may leave him struggling.

He says the last thing he needs is to waste time and money dealing with unwanted visitors, like poachers and dog walkers breaking into the grounds around the loch for some exercise.

“We’ve had a horrendous winter with storms, so we’ve had fewer anglers. The start of the season was our chance to claw things back.

“We’ve had dog walkers in and other people climbing the fences to go for a stroll. Every time that happens, I have to drive half an hour down to sanitise the fences and padlocks.

“Folk are climbing over my fences, potentially leaving or receiving the virus and risking their health and mine.

“This is private land not a public park. I’d rather spend that fuel money on putting food on the table.

“We have 10 cameras on the water all the time and I will be informing the police if it continues.”

“We’ve had a horrendous winter with storms, so we’ve had fewer anglers. The start of the season was our chance to claw things back. GARRY HUNTER