Meet the Team

Director - Dr Keith Williams

Keith joined Kyle Fisheries as Director in 2014, bringing valuable experience gained whilst working for the Cromarty Firth District Salmon Fishery Board and the Ness & Beauly Fisheries Trust. Keith has an MSc in Marine and Fisheries Science from Aberdeen University and a PhD from Cardiff University that involved a study on the relationship between nutrient levels and salmon production. He has had several academic papers and numerous scientific reports published. His particular skills include telemetry techniques for both juvenile and adult salmon in addition to electro-fishing and seine netting surveys.

Prior to becoming director Keith represented the Kyle of Sutherland Angling Association (KOSAA) as a member on both the Kyle Fishery Board and the Kyle Trust.

Keith is also a keen salmon and trout fisherman and he has fished extensively in the British Isles and beyond. Perhaps ill-advisedly though, his other interests include a lifelong devotion to the fortunes of Manchester City Football Club.

Climate Resilience & Habitats Officer - Sean Dugan

Originally from Nethy Bridge, Sean joined Kyle of Sutherland Fisheries Trust in March 2022. A pupil of the Salmon in the Classroom initiative, Sean developed an interest in rivers from an early age. Having grown up beside the sea trout and salmon spawning grounds of the Cairngorms, Sean volunteered on native woodland restoration initiatives and started working life with The Spey Foundation.

Sean studied physical geography at The University of St Andrews, focusing on the study of global warming before working for Scottish Fisheries Coordination Centre/ Fisheries Management Scotland for nine years.

Sean looks forward to working together with landowners and the local community to continue restoring native riverbank woodland to protect native fish and their habitats under global warming.

A jam-making fanatic, Sean's personal interests also include, sea trout fishing and Canadian canoeing.

Business Administrator - Jo-Anne Leonard

Jo-Anne is a local lass, who has had 20 years working in aquaculture and administration. Jo-Anne has a keen interest in fishing and the environment in general, loves to get outdoors and can be seen regularly out on the rivers and lochs with her two children.

Jo-Anne has travelled extensively and spent a year in America as a student studying science. She also spent 10 years as a crew member on the Invergordon lifeboat service.

"I am delighted to be working for the Fisheries Board and think the work they do is invaluable. I am looking forward to the challanges ahead and to mixing my admin role with getting out in the field."

In 2021, Leanne achieved a BSc in Marine Science with Oceanography and Robotics at the University of the Highlands and Islands (UHI) – SAMS, where she enjoyed learning a variety of modules which included the biological clocks of animals and conservation to the dynamics of coastal waters and marine modelling.

During her summer breaks, Leanne has worked a couple of seasons as an assistant biologist at the Kyle of Sutherland Fisheries Trust where she got stuck into electrofishing, adult salmon sampling, and GIS mapping just to name a few.

Since April 2022 Leanne has been our primary biologist and recently successfully project managed the introduction of gravel beds to the Shin system as part of the river restoration program for the restoration of fresh water pearl mussels and salmon spawning.

Leanne plays Hockey for the ladies seconds Highland team and enjoys many outdoor persuits.

"Salmon fishing has always been of great cultural and economic importance to me and my family are also employed in this sector. It has got to be one of the most diverse careers available, each day is different and that's what I love about working in this sector."

Environmental Project Assistant (intern) - Clementine Leemans

In April we welcomed Clementine Leemans for 6 months as part of the Working With Rivers Scheme funded by Graduate Career Advantage Scotland and established in 2022 by NatureScot. Clementine will be immersed in all aspects of river restoration while working half of her time on the Kyle Riverwoods Project and half on fisheries restoration and monitoring.

Originally from Belgium, Clementine has a Masters in Conservation Biology from Lund University in Sweden where she studied the influence of moose, red, roe and fallow deer densities on woodland vegetation. Clementine also has experience in native bird conservation and invasive species control in New Zealand, further to newt, reptile, bat, badger and dormice surveys and translocations in the UK.

Since starting in early May Clementine has been getting to know the catchment and taking part in Riverwoods site surveys and planning herbivore impact assessments. She has also been mapping the extent of native riverbank woodland in each of the five main river systems flowing into the Kyle of Sutherland.

Clementine has many personal interests include hillwalking, cycling, botany and sewing.

Science & Mitigation Officer - Vacant

Fishery Enforcement Team

Angling in the Kyle of Sutherland District contributes 3 to 4 million pounds annually to the local economy and supports 80-90 full-time-equivalent jobs. Poaching can therefore not only cause irreparable environmental damage, but also have a significant impact upon the local economy and damage the rural community.

The Kyle Fishery Board employ Water Bailiffs to protect the Kyle catchment from the illegal poaching of salmon, sea trout and other fish species. The bailiffs are empowered under the Salmon and Freshwater Fisheries (Consolidation) (Scotland) Act 2003. The bailiffs are warranted to enforce the legislation and have statutory powers of entry, search and seizure. The production by a bailiff of their warrant is sufficient authority for the exercise of the powers. Along with enforcement the bailiffs are responsible for the day to day delivery of our river management strategies and as part of that the rivers are patrolled 7 days a week. Their powers extend to the whole of the Kyle district and to any adjoining salmon fishery districts.

Whilst poaching activity may have appeared to be declining in recent years. During Covid restrictions poaching activity increased tenfold and the Water Bailiffs were ever active in protecting our rivers. The number of arrests and convictions may be low, but there is no doubt that having a dedicated and professional enforcement team is a vital deterrent in preventing illegal activity.