An Angus salmon netting company is facing charges of catching salmon outwith permitted hours.
Usan Salmon Fisheries is the largest salmon netting company in Scotland and operates stations along the Angus coast and at Murkle/Castlehill on the North Coast and Gardenstown in the Moray Firth.
Owners David and George Pullar and Usan Salmon Fisheries face 12 charges, but nobody from the company was present when the case called on Tuesday before Sheriff Gregor Murray at Arbroath.
Depute fiscal Jill Drummond produced a letter from their solicitor, which made no plea or declaration, and the case was continued for further investigation.
The 12 charges relate to alleged incidents in August and September in Angus and Fife including Boddin, Usan, Dysart, Ethie Haven and Scurdie Ness.
Five charges are netting salmon every weekend in August from 6pm to 6am (and up to 11.15am on August 31), which is outwith the weekly close-time for net fisheries.
The weekly close-time regulations were put in place to support the conservation and management of exploitation of salmon stocks across the season.
The remaining charges relate to failure to remove boats and nets following the annual close time.
The case will call again later this month.