ONE of Scotland's most celebrated salmon rivers is celebrating its highest annual catch by rod since records began more than 50 years ago.
More than 15,000 salmon were caught by rod and line on the RiverTweed during 2004, a British record since statistics were first compiled in 1952.
The returns were revealed in the annual report of the River Tweed Commissioners in the Borders.
The success has been put down to a number of factors including the spring conservation scheme involving catch and return as well as multi-million pound improvements to the 98-mile river.
Andrew Douglas-Home, chairman of the River Tweed Commissioners, described 2004 as a bonanza year. He said: "In these troubled environmental times, it is an extraordinary achievement.
"Seldom, if ever, has any UK river caught more salmon by rod and line than our recorded total of 15,257, of which 7866 were returned to the water, and the vast proportion of those were caught on the f ly.
"Some will be envious, others will say it is luck. I would point out that the Tweed Commissioners and the wider body of the Tweed proprietors have been incomparably astute and supportive and have never failed over 20 years to come up with the huge sums that they have been asked to invest in their river. They deserve the rewards that are now beginning to show."
But Mr Douglas-Home urged caution and said protection of the river from alien species was a priority after American signal crayfish were discovered in the Ettrick tributary in November.
According to the annual report, a total of 18,248 salmon were caught in 2004, of which 15,257 were caught by rod and 2991 were caught by net. The rod catch exceeded that of 2003, which was itself a record year.
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