“Illegal freshwater pearl mussel fishing has damaged populations of the species in Assynt “for decades”, Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) has said.

Three incidents of poaching have been detected on different rivers in the area of west Sutherland.

In the worst of the incidents, thousands of empty shells were found.

Freshwater pearl mussels, which are a protected species, are slow growing and SNH said it would take decades for the populations to recover.

Pearl fishing involves breaking open the mussel shell, which kills the creature, to look for pearls which very rarely form inside the mussel.

Investigators from the Riverwatch initiative, which forms part of the Life+ Pearls in Peril Project, uncovered the illegal fishing.

The scheme aims to raise awareness of the offences in the Lochinver area of Assynt.”

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Source: BBC news