The number of wildlife crimes recorded in Scotland dropped by about 20% in 2013/14.
Police recorded 255 such crimes over the period, down from 319 in 2012/13, the wildlife crime in Scotland 2014 annual report showed.
About a third of them (90) were crimes relating to fish poaching, followed by crimes involving birds (53) and hunting with dogs (29).
A total of 129 reports were submitted to prosecutors between April 1 2013 and March 31 2014, resulting in 125 cases as four were combined with other reports.
Fines were issued in 15 cases while warnings were issued in a further 15 and one person was given a custodial sentence.
Sixty-four of the cases were prosecuted in court, with 46 of them (72%) resulting in a conviction.
The report brings together data from the Scottish Government, Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS), Police Scotland and other sources.
It found the number of bird-of-prey poisoning incidents in the most recent three years has remained relatively low compared to the high of 24 in 2010/11.
The number of individual birds of prey confirmed as poisoned in 2013/14 (21) is much higher than the number of incidents (six) due to a single incident near Conon Bridge in the Highlands, where 12 red kites and four buzzards were confirmed to have been killed with an illegally-held pesticide.
In 2013-14, four raptor-related cases were reported to COPFS, with one resulting in a warning and another, a vicarious liability prosecution, resulting in a conviction and a fine of £675.
Investigations were still ongoing in the other two cases at the time data was provided.
For the first time, the report also included a new section focusing on the Protection of Wild Mammals (Scotland) Act 2002, following discussions on fox hunting earlier this year.
The deliberate hunting of a wild mammal with a dog was banned in Scotland in 2002.
Over the five-year period 2009-10 to 2013-14, there were an average of 32 offences recorded per year in the hunting with dogs category of the 2002 Act, with a high of 37 in 2009-10 and a low of 29 in 2013-14.
Ten cases of hunting foxes with dogs have been reported to COPFS since the 2002 Act was introduced, but only five of these were associated with mounted fox hunt activities.
Three prosecutions resulted in a conviction but none of these were associated with mounted hunts.
Environment minister Dr Aileen McLeod said: "I am encouraged to see an overall reduction in wildlife crime across Scotland for the period 2013-14.
"Working alongside police, prosecutors and other members of the Partnership for Action Against Wildlife Crime (PAW) Scotland, we will continue to increase the pressure on those who persist in breaking the law, until these out-dated practices are consigned to the past where they belong." ends
Police Scotland Assistant Chief Constable Malcolm Graham said: "It is encouraging that recorded wildlife crime has reduced in the reporting period.
"We are committed to investigating wildlife crime with specialist wildlife crime officers in every division and by applying the latest investigative techniques, and working closely with a wide range of partners.
"Our ongoing wildlife crime campaign seeks support from the public to help us put an end to wildlife crime, to keep their eyes open and to report suspicious activity, so that together we can all protect Scotland's wildlife heritage." ends
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