Tweed Angling Code

for Salmon and Sea Trout
 
A guide to legal restrictions and good practice when fishing on
Tweed and its tributaries

[REVISED 2008]
new - April 2008: changes in point 7 clarifying the law with respect to
 worming and multiple hooks


CONTENTS

Introduction
Implementation of the Code
Spring Salmon Conservation Measures
Handling Fish
The Need For Rules
General Conduct


INTRODUCTION


As more and more people fish for salmon, as the many environmental pressures on salmon increase, and as exploitation continues to make high demands on wild stocks, it becomes more and more important for the salmon angler to set a good example in standards of sportsmanship and in care for wild stocks, the environment, wildlife and fellow anglers.
The purpose of this code is to encourage such standards and to avoid behaviour which may bring the sport into disrepute.
This Code consists of two sections:
Section A Statutory regulations.
Section B Regulations to be imposed by beat owners including the new Spring Salmon Conservation measures.
In addition there are advisory notes on handling fish and on general conduct.


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IMPLEMENTATION OF THE CODE


Owners, managers, associations and clubs should ensure that the principles of this code are applied to their beats and are expected to withdraw permission to fish from those who contravene Sections A and B.

Section A: The Law

Legal regulations contained in statute, a breach of which could lead to criminal proceedings.

  1. The season starts on 1st February and ends on 30th November.
     
  2. There is no fishing on Sundays.
     
  3. Before February 15th and after September 14th fishing is with fly only.
     
  4. It is illegal to sell any fish which has been caught before February 15th or after September 14th, even if months have elapsed and it has been stored by freezing or smoking. In Scotland, it is illegal to sell rod-caught fish at any time of year.
     
  5. It is illegal to fish without written permission from the beat's owner or his representative.
     
  6. It is illegal to use prawns or shrimps throughout the catchment and throughout the year.
     
  7. It is illegal to use either worms (by any method) or lures with multiple hooks (other than a lone double, or a lone treble, hook) at any time of year on the whole of the Ettrick and Yarrow and their tributaries; the whole of the main stem of the River Tweed downstream from the old road bridge crossing above the confluence with the River Ettrick to the coastal limits of the District of the Commission; and the lower reaches of the principal tributaries downstream of the confluence with the River Ettrick as follows: on the Gala Water, downstream from the Boleside road bridge; on the Leader Water, downstream from the Leaderfoot bridge; on the Teviot, downstream from the Kelso to St Boswells road bridge; on the Till, downstream from the Twizel Cauld; and on the Whiteadder, downstream from the Newmills Cauld.
     
  8. It is illegal to attempt deliberately to foulhook fish.
     
  9. It is illegal to use anything other than a net as auxiliary to land a fish.
     
  10. It is illegal to kill kelts, smolts and parr.
     
  11. It is illegal to take unclean or unseasonable fish which includes baggots, kippers and fish about to spawn or in the process of spawning.
     
  12. It is illegal to buy or sell wild salmon roe or to fish with any form of salmon roe.
     

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Section B: Tweed Rules

Regulations which the Commission expect beat owners to impose

  1. Rod caught salmon should not be sold anywhere at any time of the year.
     
  2. Artificial prawns or shrimps should not be used.
     
  3. All foulhooked fish (ie those not hooked in or around the mouth) should be returned.
     
  4. In order to help prevent deliberate foulhooking, the following fly fishing rules have been agreed :-

    a) Maximum cast/leader breaking strain - 25lbs.
    b) Hooks or tubes should be properly dressed, ie with coloured body and a reasonable quantity of hair/fur/feather in proportion to the hook size - not a bare treble with a few feathers tied on.
    c) Maximum tube treble size - No 4.
    d) No lead weights or swivels or other items which can be used as a weight.
    e) Unless fishing with a floating line, casts should be made downstream of square.
    f) Unless fishing with a floating line, no retrieve, other than slow hand lining or reeling in, to be made until the cast has been fished out.
    g) Continue to move steadily through the pool, normally at a rate of 1 metre between casts.
    h) Anglers to remain at least 20 metres apart.
     
  5. The Tweed Spring Salmon Conservation Measures should be applied in those areas and at those times specified in the following section.
     
  6. Gyrodactylus salaris: to minimise the risk of spreading this parasite to Scotland, it is imperative that you clean and treat your equipment before fishing on Tweed in one of the following ways if you have fished outside Britain and Ireland in the preceding seven days:

    a) Dry at a minimum temperature of 20 C for at least 2 days

    b) Heat for at least one hour at a temperature above 60 C.

    c) Immerse in a suitable solution. Vikron (at 1% solution); Wescodyne (at 1%); a 3% solution of common salt (Sodium Chloride) or a 0.2% solution of Sodium Hydroxide.

    d) Deep freeze for at least 1 day.
     

The Gyrodactylus Declaration form can be downloaded - please follow this link to the Gyrodactylus page

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SPRING SALMON CONSERVATION MEASURES


    These measures apply from 1st February to 30th June on the whole of the Ettrick and Yarrow, the main stem of Tweed below Ettrickmouth and the lower reaches of the tributaries downstream of the Ettrick. (See Section A.7 for full description).
     
    * Anglers are asked to return a majority of salmon caught up to the end of June. (All stale spring salmon caught in the second half of the season should continue to be returned).

    * The first salmon taken should be returned (unless it is the angler's first ever salmon); the second salmon may be kept; the third should be returned, etc.
    The first salmon is the most important. It is putting this one back that will make the difference. An angler may keep a running "tally", up to the end of June; this will be transferred across beats, days, weeks, but not seasons.

    *  Anglers returning a salmon may claim a "reward" from the
    R.T.C. Rewards are limited and may change from tiem to time.


ADDITIONAL MEASURES


    * Tweed netsmen will be returning all salmon and grilse caught before 1st June.
     

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HANDLING FISH

  1. Outside the period of the spring salmon conservation measures there are no catch limits, but anglers are expected to keep only fish which they can sensibly make use of.
     
  2. Fish to be retained should be promptly and efficiently dispatched with an appropriate priest.
     
  3. Fish to be returned should be released as quickly as possible, the hook being removed with suitable forceps. Such fish should be handled as little as possible and returned carefully into running water facing upstream.
     
  4. Ripe/darkly coloured fish, particularly hens, are not suitable for eating fresh or for smoking and should be returned. It is not possible to lay down precise criteria for determining what is a keepable fish. Common sense and discretion should be used, taking into account all the circumstances; for example a fish which was the anglers first fish or his only fish for the week might be considered keepable whereas a fish in the same condition should be returned when fresh fish are plentiful. IF IN DOUBT, PLEASE PUT IT BACK!

THE NEED FOR RULES


The River Tweed Commission expect all proprietors to implement the rules in Section B and to withdraw permission to fish from those who break them.

The rules have been carefully drafted to ensure their effectiveness  whilst minimising any disruption to the legitimate fisherman. We hope that the latter will understand the need for action and accept any inconvenience to them as their part in ensuring that the Tweed as a whole is sensibly fished.


The statutory responsibility for enforcement of Tweed law, as set out in Section A, has been vested in the River Tweed Commission by Parliament and is implemented by their water bailiffs who have powers to prosecute offenders.
 


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GENERAL CONDUCT


Angling as a sport and recreation can easily be disrupted by external interference. Water space is in great demand, both from anglers and other activities, and therefore its enjoyment has to be shared. The following points should be observed by every angler.


     - observe the bounds of any beat to which you have been assigned.
     - give consideration to anglers on the opposite bank.
     - anglers fishing with spinners should give precedence to fly fishers.
     - avoid wading unnecessarily.
    - make sure you can recognise kelts, baggots & kippers so that you can comply with the legal requirement to return them to the water.
     - acknowledge considerate behaviour by other legitimate water users.
    - follow the Country Code, particularly in relation to control of dogs, the risk of fires and fastening gates.
    - do not park vehicles so that they obstruct gateways or cause a hazard on the road.
    - avoid damage to the waterside or disturbance to wildlife; no tackle or litter should be discarded, particularly nylon which is a hazard to wildlife.
    - be safety conscious, wear a life jacket or buoyancy aid and eye protection, be aware of overhead electric lines, stop fishing in electric storms and wade cautiously.
    - if the equipment has been used outside Britain and Ireland, it is vital that you clean and treat your equipment in one of the approved ways described at Section B.7 in order to prevent any risk of spreading Gyrodactylus salaris to Tweed.
    - support the Tweed Foundation and other organisations which safeguard your sport.


The Commission would like to thank the Salmon & Trout Association for permission to include some items from their own angling code, which is recommended as an excellent general code.

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