the deveron, bogie and isla rivers charitable trust

What the deveron, bogie and isla rivers charitable trust does

The Deveron, Bogie and Isla Rivers Charitable Trust is a Scottish charitable company limited by guarantee (SC 032131), founded in 2001 and headquartered at Avochie Stables in Huntly, Aberdeenshire. It conserves, protects, and rehabilitates wild Atlantic salmon, sea trout, and brown trout populations within the 1,266 km² River Deveron catchment (North-East Scotland), and runs the linked River Deveron District Salmon Fishery Board. Core activity combines habitat restoration (riparian planting, fish refuge creation, barrier removal), invasive non-native species control, water quality monitoring in partnership with the James Hutton Institute, and scientific monitoring using hydroacoustic and sonar technology including an ARIS sonar fish counter and PIT tag arrays deployed under the 2023-launched Project Deveron partnership with the Atlantic Salmon Trust.

Its technology stack is built around fisheries-science instrumentation rather than software products: the ARIS sonar counter produced the first-ever accurate returning adult salmon estimate for the river (approximately 5,600 fish in 2023), and PIT tagging tracks juvenile salmon marine survival. The Trust monetises a diversified non-profit funding base: charitable donations (including from Bacardi/John Dewar & Sons and Ocean Winds/Caledonia Offshore Wind Farm), grant funding (NatureScot, National Lottery Heritage Fund, Marine Directorate), angling permit fees across multiple beats sold through Henderson's Country Sports and Deveron Fishing, limited-edition River Deveron Gin sales (Batch #2 priced at £37.75 per 70cl), membership fees, and event income (the 2024 centenary Sundown on the Deveron dinner auction raised £32,944). Customers are recreational anglers, local volunteers and community members, landowners and farmers within the catchment, and local schools participating in educational outreach; institutional supporters include Chivas Brothers (Pernod Ricard), Atlantic Salmon Trust, James Hutton Institute, and University of Aberdeen.

Name

the deveron, bogie and isla rivers charitable trust

Legal name

The Deveron, Bogie and Isla Rivers Charitable Trust

Website

https://deveron.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2001

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Deveron, Bogie and Isla Rivers Charitable Trust is a Scottish charity that conserves wild Atlantic salmon, sea trout, and brown trout across the 1,266 km² River Deveron catchment in North-East Scotland, delivering habitat restoration, invasive species control, sonar and PIT-tag fisheries monitoring, angling permits, and community education funded by grants, donations, and events.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

River Conservation & Fisheries Management Services

SIC

Fishing, Hunting And Trapping (900)

akta.pro primary industry

Water Resources & Watershed Protection (BPAGAGAK)

akta.pro secondary industries

Marine & Freshwater Conservation (BPAGAGAE), Land Trusts & Protected Areas (BPAGAGAC), Wildlife Rescue, Rehabilitation & Release (BPAGAIAC)

Keywords

• River conservation services
• Salmon fishery management
• Freshwater habitat restoration
• Invasive species control
• Wild salmon monitoring

Headquarters

HQ city

Huntly

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Charitable Donations: The trust receives charitable donations from supporters including Bacardi/John Dewar & Sons Ltd. These donations support ongoing conservation work.
2. River Deveron Gin Sales: The trust produces and sells limited edition gin using botanicals from the river banks (wild angelica, common bilberry, heather blossom). All proceeds go to the trust's conservation work. Batch #2 priced at £37.75 per 70cl bottle.
3. Angling Permits: Trout permits sold for various beats through Henderson's Country Sports and Deveron Fishing contacts. Generates revenue from fishing access.
4. Event Fundraising: Annual dinner auctions (Sundown on the Deveron) and other fundraising events. The 2024 centenary dinner auction raised £32,944.
5. Membership Fees: Trust membership contributions from supporters and volunteers.
6. Grant Funding: The trust receives grant funding from NatureScot, National Lottery Heritage Fund, and other bodies for specific projects like the Scottish Invasive Species Initiative.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels11 records

Core offering

The Trust conserves, protects and rehabilitates wild Atlantic salmon, sea trout and brown trout populations across the Deveron, Bogie and Isla river catchments in North East Scotland. It sells angling permits for multiple river beats, runs conservation programmes (Project Deveron, Scottish Invasive Species Initiative), conducts scientific fish monitoring using ARIS sonar and PIT tagging, delivers educational programmes with local schools, and generates supplementary income through the River Deveron Gin, annual fundraising events (Sundown on the Deveron, Trout Festival) and trust membership.

Product overview

The Deveron, Bogie and Isla Rivers Charitable Trust is a conservation organization operating a multi-faceted portfolio of products and services. Core offerings include salmon and trout angling permits across multiple river beats, and the River Deveron Gin (Batches #1 and #2) - a social enterprise merchandise product using river bank botanicals with all proceeds supporting conservation. The Trust also operates the Morison Trophy annual fishing competition honoring the UK record salmon, live webcam monitoring of river conditions, newsletter subscriptions, and manages major conservation programs including Project Deveron (10-year salmon restoration with ARIS sonar monitoring) and the Scottish Invasive Species Initiative (SISI). Educational programs work with local schools, while Sundown on the Deveron annual events serve as fundraising galas.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• River Deveron Gin: A craft gin using botanicals found growing on the banks of the River Deveron, including wild angelica, common bilberry and heather blossom. All proceeds from sales support the Trust's conservation work.

Products and services

• River Deveron Gin Batch #2 (Limited Edition) Limited-edition craft gin produced by the Trust using wild angelica, common bilberry and heather blossom foraged from the banks of the River Deveron. Priced at £37.75 per 70cl bottle (41% vol.); over-18s only. Sold via email/phone order with international shipping available. All proceeds support the Trust's conservation work.
• Angling Permits and Fishing Services Seasonal trout (and salmon where applicable) permits granting access to named beats on the River Deveron, including Avochie, Boat of Turtory, Ardmeallie, Euchrie, Kinnairdy, Marnoch Lodge, Upper Netherdale, Laithers, Carnousie/Ardmiddle, Dunlugas, Scatterty, the Wrack, Coniecleugh, Lower Castle, Upper Castle and Eden. Permits sold through Henderson's Country Sports (Turriff), Deveron Fishing, and ghillie George Anderson.
• Trust Membership Recurring membership subscription open to supporters and volunteers of the Trust. Administered by Honorary Membership Secretary Robert McConnell. Generates ongoing revenue for conservation programmes and provides supporters with updates on Trust activities.
• Sundown on the Deveron Dinner Auction Annual ticketed charitable dinner and auction event held to raise funds for the Trust's conservation work. Includes drinks reception, welcome drink, two-course meal with malt whisky, toast to Mrs Clementina 'Tiny' Morison, and charitable auction. Tickets priced at £35 per person or £350 per table of 10; semi-formal dress code. 2024 centenary event raised £32,944.

Quantifiable outcome

• 5,600 estimated returning adult salmon in 2023 (first-ever accurate count)
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.

• Chivas Brothers (Pernod Ricard)flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Long-term partnership called 'The River Within' with Chivas Brothers and three River Trusts (Deveron, Findhorn/Nairn/Lossie, Spey). Chivas Brothers' investment will protect and restore waterways within the Trusts' combined catchment areas (5,566 km2) in North-East Scotland, focusing on enhancing biodiversity, limiting water temperature rises from climate change, and strengthening river resilience. Projects include removing obstacles to fish passage, creating buffer strips, riparian planting, fish refuge creation, and habitat restoration.
• Atlantic Salmon TrustcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 202310-year partnership (Project Deveron) for large-scale restoration of wild Atlantic salmon and their wider environment. Combines catchment-scale habitat restoration with cutting-edge salmon population and environmental monitoring. Includes ARIS sonar fish counter deployment, PIT tagging of juvenile salmon, and wider environmental monitoring. Supported by Marine Directorate.
• Findhorn, Nairn and Lossie Rivers TrustflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Part of 'The River Within' partnership with Chivas Brothers. Combined catchment of 1,300 km2. Focused on Findhorn Watershed Initiative and river restoration schemes.
• Spey Catchment InitiativeflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Part of 'The River Within' partnership with Chivas Brothers. Combined catchment of 3,000 km2.
• James Hutton InstitutecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with James Hutton Institute in Aberdeen for water monitoring strategy. Samples collected from Deveron mainstem and tributaries, analysed for range of water quality measures including pesticides, fungicides, and insecticides.
• University of AberdeencoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partner in Scottish Invasive Species Initiative working across 10 Rivers Trusts/Boards in approximately 29,500 km2 area.
• INEOS GrenadierminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSupported the making of 'Cold, Clean Water' short film about Project Deveron, featuring actors Jim Murray and Dominic West.
• Moray Firth Trout InitiativecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with MFTI for salmon smolt tracking project. Working with Marcus Walters from MFTI and Matt Newton from Glasgow University.
• Glasgow UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partnership for smolt tracking research with Matt Newton (IBIS PhD candidate) studying salmon migration and mortality.
• Fisheries Management ScotlandcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational body providing guidance on fisheries management, conservation regulations, and angling codes. Collaborates on pink salmon guidance and conservation initiatives.
• Scottish Environmental Protection Agency (SEPA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSEPA has begun its own investigations following trust studies detecting pesticides and chemicals in river samples. Collaboration on water quality issues.
• Bowlts Chartered SurveyorsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsors Sundown on the Deveron dinner auctions. 2024 centenary event sponsored by Bowlts along with Bacardi for whisky.
• Banff Springs HotelminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorVenue for annual Sundown on the Deveron dinner auctions and annual public open meetings.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves2 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Market position

Competitive moat4 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/DBIRCT
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCnGnrt1xaxzRQAi4LARyRiw
• Facebookfacebook.com/DeveronBogieIsla
• Instagraminstagram.com/river_deveron
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-deveron-bogie-and-isla-rivers-charitable-trust

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about the deveron, bogie and isla rivers charitable trust