 The second highest salmon catch on record has been recorded |
The River Tweed Commission has announced the second highest annual salmon catch on its waters since records began 54 years ago. Its annual report for 2006 showed that 17,154 fish were caught - 3,086 by nets and 14,068 by rod and line.
The figure was only been bettered in 2004 and has been attributed to the success of conservation schemes, as well as improvements along the river.
A recent study said that angling on the Tweed was worth �18m a year.
"These figures underpin the economic importance of the fishery to the Borders economy," said clerk to the commission Nick Yonge.
However, the recent discovery of American Signal Crayfish in tributaries of the river represents a major threat to the catch figures.
"There are many challenges to maintain and improve this, not least of which is to protect the river from invasion of non-native species which could devastate the ecosystem," Mr Yonge added.
The commission has allocated about �20,000 to help combat the problem and hopes that will be matched by the government and its agencies.
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