Having taken into account all the information and views contributed, the Commission held its previous decision to apply stringent Conservation Measures to the Tweed's Spring Salmon stock. The final details of the Measures that will be in place from 2011 will be published later, but in essence they are that:
* The dates of the Spring season will not change, and the whole of June will remain included in the Conservation Measures period. The Spring season on Tweed will therefore be from 1st February to 30th June each year.
* Every effort will be made to include all the net fisheries, both coastal and in-river, in the Conservation Measures with fair compensation.
* ALL fish caught before 30th June must be returned to the water.
* Every effort must be taken to allow fish to recover after being caught; only those fish that have actually died in the course of resuscitation may be removed from the water and will be the property of the Fishery Proprietors to dispose of as is seen appropriate. On no account may any fish be killed.
* The current rules for spinning will not be changed, but a more detailed Code of Good Angling Practice will be produced and promoted.
* Recommendations will be made regarding hook type and flattened barbs.
* Emblazoned Tweed sweatshirts and polo-shirts will remain available, but under a different system run by The Tweed Foundation, and will be sold.
The Commission believes that this approach will be successful and, if it is, then it will not have to ask the Government to impose a Conservation Order on the River which would make such Measures legally binding.
Copies of both the 2010 Spring Salmon Review, and the Spring Salmon Debate Meeting notes are attached as pdf files to this article, for interest.
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