River Tweed Commission encourages increased catch and release rates amid declining Atlantic salmon

The RTC, like other boards and trusts in Scotland, is working with a broad range of stakeholders to address a number of identified pressures on the Atlantic salmon.

These include water quality, quantity (specifically the effects of temperature extremes on fish), riparian planting to offer river shade, pollution control, barrier removal or improvement, predation and enforcement.

Rod exploitation of different salmon stocks is a particularly important pressure, with appropriate Tweed management actions in place for Spring, Summer, and Autumn fish.

RTC Chief Commissioner Jonathan Reddin said: “We have actively engaged with individual beats to comply with the Tweed codes and to operate best practices when handling those fish returned.

“Our engagement has resulted in an increase in the rates of catch and release from 2008, with 96 per cent achieved in 2022. However, after a drop in the return rate to 93.1 per cent in 2023, the lowest return of the four main salmon rivers in Scotland, we would like to remind anglers of the importance of maximising release rates.

Tagging and radio-tracking studies have demonstrated high survival rates and successful spawning for salmon released after capture – up to 100 per cent under certain conditions.

“However, the longer a fish is out of water, or poorly handled, the less chance it has of survival.”