Saturday 23rdMay : On traps this weekend. Nothing at Peebles, sixth consecutive day without anything - seven blank days means the end of the run and of trapping for the season.

Sunday 24th May:  About 20 fish, mostly small, 1 year olds, in the Tweedsmuir trap. A giant smolt (246mm) in the Peebles trap, a lovely fish, silver like a Herring

Monday 25th May: Goosander count in the morning, very few in my section. On my way down the river hear of some good Sea-trout catches being made in the evenings. Some admin in the afternoon, then checking the traps. Nothing in the Peebles trap again, very low water, so nothing likely to come. Took it out, though will be ready to put it back in should some rain turn up.

Tuesday 26th May: In the office all day, working on Spring Salmon population characteristics etc. in preparation for the RTC meeting on Monday, when there is to be a policy discussion on their management. James and Kenny out electric-fishing for a school field day up the Whiteadder.

Wednesday 27th May: In the office all day, working on Spring Salmon data and analyses.

Thursday 28th May: An early start, working on the Spring Salmon presentation for the RTC on Monday, then out to the fish farm on the Gala Water to see if we could get smolts for tagging from the bywash of the water intake screens there - which looked as if could be done quite easily. To B & Q to get some rope for crayfish traps, as this has re-started for the summer (Natural England are funding work on the Till). Back to the office, some more work on Monday's presentation and unloaded a delivery of shelving for the electric-fishing lock-up. A short interview down on the Leader for the BBC about Beavers. More work on the presentation, then out with Sean, the Summer Student, to check on the Gala Fish Counter as we couldn't get through to it Online. Turned out to be fine, so some connection problem elsewhere. On to the Tweedsmuir trap - there was supposed to be some heavy rain up there today, but totally dry. Only one fish, so the run obviously over and opened it up for the Summer. Back to the office, bits of admin and more work on the presentation for Monday.

Friday 29th May: More work on on Spring Salmon data, and, I think, a breakthrough. I've long suspected that there were two, discrete, breeding populations in the Ettrick, a Spring / Summer  MSW one in the upper parts and an Autumn Grilse one in the lower part, between Ettrickbridge and the cauld. While the earlier running one is little affected by having to get through the fish pass as it runs earlier in the year / Autumn, the later fish are often restricted by low water temperatures and so limited in the number of spawners that can make it into the lower Ettrick and therefore producing low numbers of fry there. The problem has been that in 2002 and 2003 there were high fish counts in November and yet still low numbers of fry in the lower area the following year. However, it is now very clear by comparison with other years that these high November counts are well out of line with the normal situation and follow on from low October counts, showing that the fish had been delayed and "displaced" in those two years. If these two years are omitted from the calculations then there is a statistically signficant correlation between the number of fish counted through in November, December and January and the numbers of salmon fry in the lower Ettrick the following year. The line between the two populations is the Prison Linns, the river gorge at Ettrickbridge and the genetics work we doing at present should confirm or reject the idea. If it is confirmed, then the home breeding area of the most important single salmon population on the river will have been established and defined.  It would also allow us to "see inside" the annual fish count on the Ettrick and break it down into totals for the two populations. Get all this done between the weekly staff meeting and all sorts of bits of admin and phone calls and other distractions, but very enjoyable to see it (apparently) all fall into place at last. However, I've made "discoveries" before that have turned to ashes later, so still cautious - but  a good way to start the weekend.