Monday 8th January : On leave

Tuesday 9th January : At the computer all day, writing. Only break checking the prototype Lamprey trap  in the Leader below the office - found chain almost broken off by recent heavy spates. Four trout parr and a Salmon parr, no Lamprey

Wednesday 10th January : More desk work - drafting out  policy & procedures on fish stockings. The new Tweed Act gives the RTC the responsibility of regulating any stocking of fish into any water, running or still, within the Tweed & Eye catchments (excluding, as usual, fish farms), the aim being to exclude alien species, diseases and parasites. Similar powers will be coming in for the rest of Scotland under the forthcoming Fisheries and Aquaculture Bill and I have attended meetings of the group that is looking at this aspect of the new bill so we can keep in step with what will happen in the rest of Scotland. As the Tweed Council decided last year that the Tweed is to be a "wild fish fishery" with no stocking of either Salmon or Trout for angling, the new policy will be largely to do with put-and-take fisheries.

Thursday 11th January : More desk work, drafting out the fish stockings policy

Friday 12th January : The regular weekly co-ordination meeting, followed by one on the fish stockings policy. Has to be ready to go to the Tweed Committee by the end of next week. In the afternoon get out to do the weekly check on the fish trap at Peebles - it's not in operation now, but is always checked regularly and kept clean. Weather like this can bring a lot a debris down. On the way was bankside safety man for James as he checked and cleaned the Gala fish counter.