The Skinworks Cauld, situated behind the B&Q superstore in Galashiels, was originally constructed to divert water that would have been used to power various local industries, in particular the skinworks tannery. Until improvements were made around 1950 with the installation of a fish pass, the majority of Salmon and Trout could not get any further upstream than the cauld.

Unfortunately the fish pass installed in the '50s was poorly designed meaning that migratory fish found it very difficult to find the entrance and it also became frequently blocked with debris. Until relatively recently a major issue was that any fish held back by being unable to get past this obstacle was fair game for local poachers who would use an array of illegal, and typically barbaric, techniques to catch the Salmon and Sea-trout.

In 2006 The Tweed Foundation installed a new fish counter in the pass with grant aid from a European programme, LIFE funding.


The fish counter situated in one of the 'pots' of the Gala fish pass

On the back of this work, a new structure was added to the exit of the pass (at the top of the cauld) to reduce debris blockage. After some initial teething problems during 2007, an accurate total of 4,052 fish were counted through the fish ladder in 2008. Of this total, 1,834 were Salmon and 2,218 were Trout. Considering that the minimum spawning target for adult Salmon in the Gala Water is 684 fish, the 2008 total exceeded this target by over two and a half times!

The new exit at the top of the fish pass to help prevent debris build-up

Based upon recommendations from a fish pass specialist, in September 2009 The Tweed Foundation commissioned the Harvey Hosie Partnership to undertake the recent building activity that has been seen at the cauld to install a new entrance to the fish pass. Fish should now find it easier to locate the fish ladder due to a reduced amount of turbulence at the entrance, which can confuse them. A crane from Rodger (Builders) Limited was used to lift in pre-cast sections of concrete that were joined together to form the new entrance.
      Rodgers Builders crane helps place the large pre-cast concrete sections

The work was completed by the end of the month, having got off to a slow start due to the flood conditions at the beginning of the month which made working in the water impossible.

Despite the low water conditions since the installation was completed, Trout have been counted through the new entrance already and The Tweed Foundation is looking forward to seeing how it works in higher water levels when fish will really start running the Gala Water.

   
On the left, the entrance prior to improvements and, on the right, the new entrance installed

An unexpected visitor
An unexpected 'count' has been the local Otter which frequently passes through the fish pass, even in daytime. Very distinct images have been produced by the fish counter scanner, along with video clips of the culprit. The fish counter images can be used to distinguish between Otters and fish, so the Otter won't be contributing to the annual total!

 
On the left, the image that the fish counter's scanner takes and, on the right, a still from the video clips showing the Otter inside the fish pass!

Up-to-date monthly counts from the Gala fish counter, as well as the Foundation's other installation
 on the Ettrick Water, are reported on this website.