Proposed river gradings for the 2024 fishing season
1. Do you agree with the proposed river gradings for the 2024 season?
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I agree with the proposed changes
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I disagree with the proposed changes
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I neither agree or disagree with the proposed changes
2. Please indicate your particular area of interest in the conservation assessment.
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I am interested in the whole assessment process
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I am interested in the proposed gradings for all of Scotland
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I am interested in the proposed gradings for a number of districts and/or river areas
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I am interested in the proposed gradings for a particular district or river area
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I am interested in all of the above
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I am not interested in any of the above
3. If you are mainly interested in a specific region, district, river or area please specify your area(s) of interest. You can use the examples below to help describe your area.
Please give details below.
River Tweed and associated tributaries within the catchment
Questions
4. Do you have any concerns about missing or incorrect data, such as catch returns or fish counter information, for your area of interest?
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Yes
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No
5. Do you have any concerns about being financially impacted by the proposed river gradings?
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Yes
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No
6. Do you foresee the changes to the river gradings having an impact on you or your business?
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Yes
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No
7. What, if any, information did we not provide that would have been helpful in preparing an informed response to this consultation?
Please give details below.
Since the start of the Scottish Government conservation assessment scheme, the Tweed has been categorised every year as a grade 1 river, defined as ‘at least an average (mean) chance of 80% that the egg requirement to replenish the rivers population of Salmon has been met over the past 5 years.
The management recommendation for a grade 1 river is:-
‘Exploitation is sustainable therefore no additional management action is currently required. This recognises the effectiveness of existing non-statutory local management interventions.’
While the RTC accepts the science underpinning the overall categorisation system, we continue to make the point that it still does not account for weaker stocks, in particular early running Spring Salmon.
The RTC would advocate a further extension to the Spring Close Time Order.
The management recommendation for a grade 1 river is:-
‘Exploitation is sustainable therefore no additional management action is currently required. This recognises the effectiveness of existing non-statutory local management interventions.’
While the RTC accepts the science underpinning the overall categorisation system, we continue to make the point that it still does not account for weaker stocks, in particular early running Spring Salmon.
The RTC would advocate a further extension to the Spring Close Time Order.
8. Do you have any further comments you wish to add?
Please provide any further comments.
The River Tweed Commission (RTC) is charged under The Scotland Act 1998 (River Tweed) Order 2006 with the general preservation and increase of Salmon, Sea-trout, Trout and other freshwater fish in the River Tweed and its tributaries, and in particular with the regulation of fisheries, the removal of nuisances and obstructions and the prevention of illegal fishing.
The RTC, like Boards and Trusts across Scotland, are working with a broad range of stakeholders to address a number of identified pressures on the Atlantic Salmon including water quality, quantity (specifically the effects of temperature extremes on fish), riparian planting to offer river shade, pollution control, barrier removal or improvement, predation and enforcement.
Rod exploitation of different Salmon stocks is a particularly important pressure, with appropriate Tweed management actions in place for Spring, Summer and Autumn fish.
The RTC, like Boards and Trusts across Scotland, are working with a broad range of stakeholders to address a number of identified pressures on the Atlantic Salmon including water quality, quantity (specifically the effects of temperature extremes on fish), riparian planting to offer river shade, pollution control, barrier removal or improvement, predation and enforcement.
Rod exploitation of different Salmon stocks is a particularly important pressure, with appropriate Tweed management actions in place for Spring, Summer and Autumn fish.
About you
9. What is your name?
Name
Jamie Stewart
11. Are you responding as an individual or an organisation?
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Individual
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Organisation
12. What is your organisation?
Organisation
River Tweed Commission