Countryfile casts an eye over the Tweed

BBC Countryfile has aired a feature on the River Tweed, filmed on the eve of the 2026 salmon fishing season and covering the heritage, river management and conservation science that underpin one of the UK’s best-known salmon rivers.

Presenters Matt Baker and Sammi Kinghorn visited Kelso, Norham and Hawick, speaking with local boatmen and a traditional rod builder. They also met James Hunt, senior biologist at the Tweed Foundation, at the Galashiels Fish Counter, where the conversation turned to scientific monitoring across the catchment. Jane Gibson, Riverwoods Project Officer, explained how planned riverside tree planting can shade the river and moderate water temperatures during hot summers.

Jamie Stewart, head of the Tweed Foundation and clerk to the River Tweed Commission, said the programme offered a chance to highlight work ranging from practical river management to long-term scientific monitoring.

“The Tweed remains one of the most closely studied salmon rivers in the United Kingdom,” Mr Stewart said. “Long-term datasets from programmes such as the Gala Fish Counter enable us to take informed, evidence-led decisions at a time when Atlantic salmon are facing sustained pressures across their range.”

Photo credit: Tweed Foundation

The programme aired on BBC One on 1 March.