The Tweed Commission is asking anglers to release all salmon this season. The appeal, while not mandatory, follows a fall in the Tweed’s catch-and-release rate from 96% in 2022 to 93.1% in 2023, which is the lowest return rate of Scotland’s four main salmon rivers (also including the Aberdeenshire Dee, Spey and Tay).

Jonathan Reddin, chief commissioner, said, “The simplest way for anglers and gillies to make a positive and significant contribution to salmon conservation is through best practice catch-and-release… We recommend fisheries consider their policy on catch-and-release and extend it to 100% for the full season.”

He explained, “Tagging and radio-tracking studies have demonstrated high survival rates and successful spawning for salmon released after capture – up to 100% under certain conditions. However, the longer a fish is out of water, or poorly handled, the less chance it has of survival.”