Ettrick Fish Counter :  The good count for October did not make up for the poor September count (which was half of its average). The low flows that were a problem in September continued through most of October - and in to November as well. The very high numbers being shown as "up" for October on the screen in the Viewing Centre at Philiphaugh were produced by the fact that "Rejected" events are being stored for manual examination due to some software glitches but it was not realised at the time that this meant that they were being added to the "Up" totals on display. A note about this has now been added to the display.

Gala Fish Counter : While an apparently good number of fish were counted over October they were mostly small, at less than 35cms or so and can therefore be regarded as Brown-trout. The Gala was very low over the month and larger fish would have had a struggle even to reach the cauld.

(Counter file is attached)

Ronald N. B. Campbell, Tweed Foundation Biologist

Fish Counter Results for September : (see attachment)

The Ettrick count was well down for this month, at almost exactly half the average, which could be expected due to low water conditions. However, some 1500 then went up in the first four days of October, the most rapid passage we've seen yet, but without any real rise in the water.  This rush of fish also made it easy to do an efficiency check, watching the fish on the video and seeing how many of those going up were actually registered by the counter. This really needs large numbers of fish passing to do properly so these few days were ideal - and gave a 100% result. What may have made the fish get a move on was some cold nights as they also use water temperature as cue to tell them that spawning is coming on. Whatever the reason, it certainly made for good viewing at the Visitor Centre.

The Gala count continued to increase, despite the low flows. Obviously, as this is the first year, there is nothing to compare this year's counts with, nor has there been any long period of high water to really bring fish up.

Ronald N. B. Campbell

Tweed Foundation Biologist

Fish Counter Results for August 2007   more »

The Ettrick counter was out of action, again, for the whole of this month, and so has missed the fish that would be expect to have travelled up the Ettrick on the high water. The Gala counter, however, was in operation   more »

A respectable total for the month   more »

Despite the very low water levels, a good number of fish got up the Ettrick and through the counter in April, 18 of which were definitely Salmon. There were also two Grayling !

Nothing up the Gala Water yet.

Figures are in the attachment.

Fish Counter Results to the end of March :

Not much going up, but not much expected this early in the year. Of the five fish counted up the Ettrick, four were trout. Two Salmon, however, were reported to have been caught already in the Ettrick, which must have gone up before the counter was re-installed on the 22nd March.

To get the attachment with the results, click on the attachment below

Update on the Ettrick and Gala counters.   more »

The results from the fish counter on the Ettrick for December 2006 are attached below.   more »

The November results for the Ettrick Fish Counter 5.pdf (81k) are in the file attachment Ettrick Fish Counter 5.pdf (81k) ...   more »