Mark Bilsby
River Director

Mark has over 20 years experience as a fisheries manager. Firstly for an environmental consultancy and the National Rivers Authority, then ten years as a senior fisheries biologist for the Western Isles Fisheries Trust. In 2005 Mark joined the River Dee Trust and Dee DSFB to undertake the executive management of these two organisations and be responsible for all work undertaken by them.

Edwin Third
River Operations Manager

Edwin has over 20 years experience in practical countryside management. For the first 7 years he worked as a Countryside Ranger/Warden for both the Scottish Wildlife Trust and Scottish Natural Heritage. He began working for the Board as a bailiff in 1997. In 2001 he became the Senior Bailiff with responsibilities for the implementation of the Board’s policing and habitat works. Edwin was appointed to the post of River Operations Manager in 2009.

Carol Mair
Administrator

Our newest team member, Carol joined the River Dee team in July 2012 and has come from a background of many years of administrative work, including with other District Salmon Fishery Boards. 

Ken Reid
Dee Fisheries Development Officer

Ken joined the Fishery Board in 2008. His role encompasses the development of the River Dee fisheries for all species and the facilities and infrastructure that bring fishers and visitors to the river Dee valley. Ken has an extensive background in sales and marketing, website development, not to mention his passion for all types of angling. Ken updates this website and the very successful www.fishdee.co.uk site with the weekly reports.

Blair Forsyth, Mark Walker, Colin Esson & Diarmid Hawkins
Bailiffs and River Maintenance Team

This hard working team provide a comprehensive level of surveillance for the river valley when the stocks may be vulnerable to undesireable threats.They work closely with the local constabulary and are experts at covert surveillance and interception of illegal fishers and practises. The team also, when time permits, provide a first class level of remedial and maintenance work to the habitat of the river and tributaries. Their work ensures that the objectives of the relevant fishery bodies are being met, supporting the infrastructure for regeneration of nursery, juvenile and ultimately adult stocks.

Adrian Hudson
Biologist

Adrian is the fisheries biologist responsible for the monitoring programmes conducted for the River Dee Trust, looking at fish populations and habitats throughout the Dee district. Adrian runs the IntroDee education programme for primary and secondary schools and the adult education programme and has more than 20 years experience on the Dee.

Dr Lorraine Hawkins
River Dee Trust Manager

Lorraine joined the Dee team in 2007 and is the River Dee Trust manager. She has a research background in fish behaviour including a Ph.D. in Fish Ecology. She has worked alongside other District Salmon Fishery Boards and was previously employed by the Fisheries Research Services Freshwater Laboratory (now Marine Scotland Science).

Flora Grigor-Taylor

Flora is employed by Rivers & Fisheries Trusts of Scotland (RAFTS) and is based on the Dee to deliver the Pearls in Peril LIFE project. She has a background in farm conservation and ecology and has worked with conservation charities, government agencies and ecological consultancies. After 5 years working in the Hebrides and Shetland, Flora moved to Aberdeenshire as a farm conservation adviser with the Farming & Wildlife Advisory Group. Since 2009, Flora and Steff have worked together as an ecological consultancy and wildlife advisory service.

Steff Ferguson

Steff is employed by Rivers & Fisheries Trusts of Scotland (RAFTS) and is based on the Dee to deliver the Pearls in Peril LIFE project. Steff has been working with farmers and landowners for nearly 20 years on a wide range of conservation projects. This has included riparian enhancement and river restoration initiatives, protected species surveys and impact assessments such as pearl mussel habitat, water voles, otter and bats as well as diffuse pollution audits, wetland restoration and native woodland creation.