The Tweed Foundation has been in existence for 25 years, having first formed in September 1983. To celebrate this landmark, the Foundation hosted an Anniversary Workshop entitled, "Are Natural Rivers Best for Fisheries?" and invited professionals who work in the field of river management, particularly employees and trustees of members of the Association of Rivers Trusts (ART) and the Rivers and Fisheries Trusts of Scotland (RAFTS) to come and debate this topic over two days last week in Melrose. 60 delegates from all over the country attended.



An Anniversary cake - in 'company colours' - was shared with all the delegates

The Workshop was Chaired by Professor Edward Maltby of The Institute for Sustainable Water, Integrated Management and Ecosystem Research, University of Liverpool.

Professor Edward Maltby

The purpose of the Workshop was to explore the meaning of “natural” with respect to river management in general, with particular reference to fisheries; to assess the pros and cons of unnatural features and the impacts of human intervention. Six key presentations were given and debate took place in smaller workshop groups after each series of presentations.  The following morning the key points from each of these 'break-out' sessions were presented and a general debate took place.  The Tweed Foundation will be publishing the presentations and drawing together all the input from the Workshop in due course. 


Andrew Douglas-Home, The Tweed Foundation's Chairman, opened the Workshop

Workshop presentations were made on the following themes:-



Dr Willie Duncan, SEPA spoke on Setting Reference Conditions for Ecological Status under the Water Framework Directive - A Guide from Nature or Reactionary Nostalgia?



Professor Malcolm Newson of Newcastle University, and the Tyne Rivers Trust, spoke on Flow Regimes - Natural Extremes or Man-made Moderation?


John Hickey of The Westcountry Rivers Trust spoke on Trees on Riverbanks - Natural Woodlands or Darkness at Noon?


Dr Stephen Marsh-Smith,from the Wye & Usk Foundation, spoke on Trees in Rivers - Nature's Instream Structures or Barriers to Progress?


Jamie Ribbens of the Galloway Fisheries Trust gave a presentation on Fish In Rivers - Natural Communities or Piscatorial "Pik'n Mix"?


The final presentation was given by Dr Ronald Campbell from The Tweed Foundation on Beavers - Nature's Little Helpers or A Dam Nuisance?

Delegates came from all over the UK, and the following organisations participated in The Tweed Foundation's Anniversary Workshop:

Atlantic Salmon Trust
Annan District Salmon Fishery Board
Argyll Fisheries Trust
Association of Rivers Trusts
Association of Salmon Fishery Boards
Eden Rivers Trust
Environment Agency
Galloway Fisheries Trust
River Dee Trust
Rivers And Fisheries Trusts of Scotland
Ribble Catchment Conservation Trust
Scottish Natural Heritage
Scottish Environment Protection Agency
South Cumbria Rivers Trust
Tees River Trust
Trent Rivers Trust
Tweed Forum
Tyne Rivers Trust
University of Liverpool
Westcountry Rivers Trust
Wester Ross Fisheries Trust
Wye & Usk Foundation
Yorkshire Dales Rivers Trust

The two day Workshop was followed by the inaugural competition for The River & Fisheries Trust Challenge Trophy, an inter-Trust fishing competition.  For more information on this event, use the following link:

The River & Fisheries Trust Challenge Trophy