2 0 1 8 ANNUAL REPORT & ACCOUNTS River Tweed Commission The North Court Drygrange Steading By Melrose Roxburghshire TD6 9DJ Tel: (01896) 848294 Fax: (01896) 848277 Email: [email protected] www.rtc.org.uk River Tweed News: www.rivertweed.org.uk Established by Order under an Act of Parliament to protect the fish stocks in the Tweed River System River Tweed Commission 2018 ANNUAL REPORT AND ACCOUNTS CONTENTS Page Chairman’s Report 1 Fish Catches Salmon 3 Sea-trout 6 Other Freshwater Fish 7 Spring Salmon Conservation 7 Conservation Limits 8 Staffing 9 Fishery Officer Report Job Specification Change 9 Illegal Activity 10 Spinning 10 Operational Patrols and Joint Working 11 Predation Avian Predation 12 Seals 12 Policy Governance 13 RTC Committee Restructure 13 General Data Protection Regulation 2018 (GDPR) 13 RTC Budget 14 Net Fisheries 14 Salmon and Sea Trout Protection Byelaws 14 Communication 15 Angling Clubs and Associations 15 The Tweed and Eye Fisheries Management Plan 15 Accounts 16-17 Background Information 26 Useful Contacts 27-28 APPENDICES I-V Statistics 18-22 VI Members of Commission 23-24 VII RTC Officials 25 Published March 2019 CHAIRMAN’S REPORT 2018 saw another year of low Salmon and Sea-trout catches in common with the rest of Scotland excepting the far North. This will inevitably lead to fewer rod days let in advance and pressure on rental levels. It is a bleak picture and the Commission has had to respond positively to very challenging circumstances. The Assessment was reduced again in 2018 and further cuts are planned for 2019, which will achieve a reduction of 46% (ie. C.£250,000 p.a.) from a peak in 2015. Over that period, staffing levels have been reduced and the Commission now employs the Clerk, an Administrator and four full-time Fishery Officers. At the same time, our stocks of Salmon, Sea-trout, Brown trout, Grayling and other species need increasing levels of protection at all stages of their life cycle. Goosanders are prevalent throughout the catchment and the number of semi-resident Cormorants have increased significantly in the past few years. Whilst a decline in fish stocks, particularly migratory, is unlikely to be attributable to a single cause, it is distressing for anyone closely involved in the well-being of the river regularly to watch large numbers of piscivorous birds hunting in flocks of up to 50 – 100. This would not have happened 20 – 30 years ago and the numbers we see today will be having an impact on all freshwater fish stocks. The Commission’s executive and Tweed Foundation staff have come under considerable criticism for not “doing enough”, particularly in relation to piscivorous birds. All I can do is remind everyone of the following: - 1. In 2018, the Clerk applied, on behalf of the Commission, for a licence to remove an increased number of Goosanders and Cormorants in 2019. This will enable a robust dietary analysis to take place and this approach has now been adopted by three other major rivers in Scotland and is being supported by Marine Scotland. 2. The problems of predation are recognised across Scotland and we have been actively involved throughout the year with a predation working group that includes Marine Scotland, Scottish Natural Heritage, Fisheries Management Scotland, and other fishery boards and trusts. The aim being a licensing system that is more responsive on a catchment basis. 1 3. During 2018, the Commission applied and monitored more robust scaring techniques to disperse the main Cormorant roosts on the river. This has been successful and the lessons learnt will be applied on a regular basis throughout the catchment in future. I am not seeking re-election in 2019 and, although I have really enjoyed many aspects of my involvement over the last seven years, it has been a turbulent period. The dramatic decline in Salmon catches has resulted in a loss of confidence, anxiety and anger at the present position leading to a polarisation of views often sustained by an unconscious bias towards only listening to like-minded opinions. Everybody involved should be working to find a consensus, not discord, restore trust and to maintaining the Tweed’s international reputation for management based on sound evidence and sound science. I hope the new measures agreed during 2018 to establish a more formal management committee that is elected and representative of the Commission as a whole will assist in that process, and I look forward to supporting the new Chairman and his team in the future. D. J. Dobie 2 FISH CATCHES Salmon FISH CATCHES SalmonThe total Salmon catch at 6,129 saw a further drop on the previous year The(7,003 total in Salmon2017). catch5,644 atSalmon 6,129 saw(6,577 a further in 2017) drop were on caughtthe previous by rod year and (7,003 line inand 2017). 485 (426)5,644 by Salmon net; 87%, (6,577 4,901 in 2017) fish, wereof the caught total rodby rodcatch and was line returned and 485 (83% in 2017). (426) by net; 87%, 4,901 fish, of the total rod catch was returned (83% in 2017). 20000 100 80 15000 60 10000 40 % Returned No. of Salmon 5000 20 0 0 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 Salmon Rod Catch 2009 – 2018, kept and returned Salmon Rod Catch 2009 – 2018, kept and returned The Tweed catch was low, as it was on other rivers. Heavy snowfall and Theblizzards Tweed - due catch to “Thewas low,Beast as from it was the onEast” other - came rivers. at theHeavy end snowfall of February and blizzardsresulting -in due high to waters "The Beastthroughout from theMarch, East" and - came meaning at the the end season of February got off resultingto a poor in start.high watersIn April, throughout the weather March, warmed and meaning up and thecontinued season togot do off so to aresulting poor start. in a In prolonged April, the weatherand hot latewarmed Spring, up andand continueda sweltering to doSummer. so resulting The inpattern a prolonged was the and same hot lateas on Spring, the majority and a sweltering of other rivers,Summer. with The Tweed pattern seeing was therelatively same fewas on fresh the fishmajority coming of inother to the rivers, system, with and Tweed those seeing that didrelatively so having few freshno incentive fish coming to move in to thehigher system, up the and system those thatdue didto lackso having of water. no incentive Late June to movesaw the higher first upruns the of system fish, but due even to lack then of water.the numbers Late June were saw down the first on recentruns of fish,years. but even then the numbers were down on recent years. WhilstWhilst it did notnot feel as though catchescatches werewere better than 2017, thethe autumnautumn monthsmonths werewere aa slight slight improvement improvement in in some some areas areas of theof the river. river. September September and and October saw the most fish caught this season, with 1,446 and 1,455 October saw the most fish caught this season, with 1,446 and 1,455 respectively caught to the rod (1,159 and 1,179 in 2017); the August catch, respectivelywhilst not as caught high as to last the season,rod (1,159 saw and the 1,179third highestin 2017); catch, the August 1,068 (1,134catch, whilstin 2017). not Catches as high aswere last below season, the saw five-year the third average highest except catch, 1,068in September, (1,134 in 2017).which managedCatches were to top below it with the 1,446 five-year (5 yr averageav. 1,176). except September in September, was the which only managedmonth since to top 2014, it with when 1,446 the (5downward yr av. 1,176). trend September started, in was which the rod-caughtonly month sincefish continued 2014, when to be the more downward numerous trend (1446, started, 2018; 1,159, in which 2017; rod-caught887, 2016). Thefish continued to be more numerous (1446, 2018; 1,159, 2017; 887, 2016). The last 3 last two months of the season with a catch of 1,794 were 241 fish up on last season. However, the trend of sparse catches in late autumn persisted, and two months of the season with a catch of 1,794 were 241 fish up on last season. the November catch dropped further, with just 339 fish caught (374, 2017). DueHowever, to the thelack trendof fish of around sparse in catchesautumn inmany late fisheries autumn closedpersisted, early and and the the lastNovember week of catch the season dropped saw further, torrential with rain, just 339and fishthe caughtriver in (374,flood. 2017). Due to the lack of fish around in autumn many fisheries closed early and the last week of the season saw torrential rain, and the river in flood. Nets Rods 1600 1400 1200 1000 800 Number of Number Salmon 600 400 200 0 2018 Salmon Catch by Month for Rods and Nets Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov WhilstWhilst it it was was widely widely acknowledged acknowledged thatthat therethere waswas aa lacklack of of fish fish in in the the system, system, inin contrast contrast with with last last season season thethe lowlow waterwater conditions conditions depresseddepressed any any potential potential forfor catches catches untiluntil mid-August.mid-August. 2,000 2018 5 Year Average 1,800 1,600 1,400 1,200 1,000 800 Number of Number Salmon 600 400 200 0 Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov 2018 Rod-caught Salmon v Current Five-year Average 4 4 Only the September catch performed better than the five-year average.