River Tweed Commission

Established by Order under an Act of Parliament to protect the fish stocks in the Tweed River System

 

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Management Page - river patrol

Management

 

The River Tweed Commission is charged under the 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 area of jurisdiction extends eight kilometers out to sea and includes the coastline between Cockburnspath and Holy Island. Powers are granted to the Commission by this and other Acts of Parliament to help fulfill these duties.

The Governing body is the Commission which consists of 43 members appointed by Local Authorities (23 from Local Angling Clubs and 20 from other interests), and 38 members elected by the Proprietors of the River. The Commission levies an annual assessment on the owners of all Fisheries. The Commission has a wide range of expertise upon which it can draw. A graphic representation of the current make up is shown below:

Commissioners Expertise Final1

 

 

The Commission is the body corporate and consists of 81 Commissioners. 38 of these are elected each year by the Fishery Proprietors, as proprietary Commissioners, and 43 are appointed as Representative Commissioners by the two local authorities (Scottish Borders Council and Northumberland County Council) of which 23 are from local angling clubs and 20 from independent interests. The Commission elects a Chief Commissioner and Deputy each year at its annual general meeting. The Commission levies an annual assessment on the Owners of all Fisheries, which is used to employ Water Bailiffs, provide the necessary back-up equipment and administration, and task the Tweed Foundation to undertake such work as it deems important from time to time. The Commission meets four times a year, in March, June, September and December.

Tweed Committee - Although The Scotland Act 1998 (River Tweed) Order 2006 does not make provision for a Committee, the Chief Commissioner is assisted and advised by a Committee drawn from members of Council which is broadly intended to represent different interest in the River. The current Committee’s role and structure have been established by common agreement and practice, for operational convenience. The membership of the Committee - a maximum of 12 and a minimum of 8 - is intended to be representative of (as far as possible):- Lower, Middle & Upper Tweed and main tributaries fisheries; Netting interests; Angling Associations; Non-proprietary Commissioners and The Tweed Foundation. The Committee meets around four times a year between Council meetings.

The Commission has adopted the Seven Principles of Public Life set by The Committee on Standards in Public Life, which is an independent public body and which advises government on ethical standards across the whole of public life in the UK, has set them out for the benefit of all who serve the public in any way.

In practice, the River Tweed Commission retains responsibilities for the policing and administration of the River and delegates the scientific aspects of stock management to The Tweed Foundation through The Tweed Fisheries Management Plan which it regularly reviews and has approved.

 

Established by order under The Scotland Act 1998 (River Tweed) Order 2006

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