Monday 29th September: A meeting in Perth with a group of biologists from other rivers and ASFB representatives to talk about Stock Assessment techniques and which would be most practicable and useful for salmon managment in Scotland. There's much new technology available or on the way now - genetics, aerial surveys - that will allow much better stock estimates and requirements to made in the near future and the Scottish rivers need to get together and get going with such things.

Tuesday 30th September : On leave

Wednesday 1st October: Start work for our annual "Technical Review" at which progress made over the last year and plans for the next are discussed at a joint meeting of the TF Trustees and the Committee of the RTC. Have a meeting with James to talk things over and then start to put the discussion document together. Hear from Nick that an inter-Agency meeting on Monday came up with a solution for the access problems at Ingram, which is a considerable relief as fish rescue there would have been a major operation.

Thursday 2nd October: In the office in the morning, working on the Review paper and integrating some of the catch records work Steven did into the files. With so much catch and release now, it is a question as to how accurate the sizes of released fish are that are entered into the records. One of Steven's jobs was therefore to analyse some recent catch records to compare the sizes of killed and released fish - which turned out to be remarkably similar, the only difference being a slight over-estimate of the "easy" numbers 15, 18 and 20 lbs for released fish. In the afternoon out and about, mainly to get some more mesh to finish the trap for the Gala fish pass, which is coming up for its first test.

Friday 3rd October: Weekly staff meeting, then a visit from the Crown Estate office in London. After discussions & lunch, take them out to to see James and Kenny fitting the trap into the Gala fish pass for the first time. A salmon got from the fish pass illustrated fish processing as well. More admin in the afternoon.