The Tweed Foundation has received information earlier this week on the first tagged Salmon to be recaptured this season. The usual in-river netting took place during the third week in September at the Paxton netting station, following the close of the netting season.  All fish caught by The Tweed Foundation during this week are tagged, scale samples taken, and the fish returned to the water, unharmed, to assist the Foundation in building up information on where Tweed fish get to in the Tweed system, and the exploitation rate by rod and line.

The Salmon recaptured had been netted and tagged at Paxton on Friday, 18th September 2009 (the last day of the Foundation's netting week) and was recaptured by a rod on The Lees near Coldstream on Monday, 5th October 2009.   This means that it had travelled around 20km in 17 days.

This year's low water conditions have contributed to the lack of recaptures reported so far; in a more usual year, when river levels are higher, it is often the case that recaptures by rods begin whilst the Foundation's netting week is still taking place.

If you find a tag in a fish, do please pass on the information to The Tweed Foundation

The most commonly found tags are a 75mm (3") yellow tube tag carrying a unique number. The tags are attached to one side of the dorsal fin so it is important that both sides of the fish are checked for tags.

If the fish has been killed, please cut the tag off, take a sample of scales from just behind the dorsal fin, measure the length of the fish (from tip of snout to the inner part of the fork of the tail) and make a note of the sex;

Or,

If the fish is being released, take a note of the number of the tag and the date and place of capture.

In both instances, please contact The Tweed Foundation (01896) 848271 
Email: info@tweedfoundation.org.uk
or send the information to us via your local Water Bailiff