Dram gesture in hope for tight lines

Watched by anglers including RTC chairman, Peter Straker-Smith (right), Mairi Gougeon MSP blesses the River Tweed with a dram of whisky as she officially opens the river’s 2023 salmon fishing season. Photo: Phil Wilkinson.

Mairi Gougeon MSP, the Scottish Government’s cabinet secretary for rural affairs and islands, performed the opening ceremony by blessing the river with a dram of Glenkinchie and wishing the river’s anglers success, before angler Kent Håkansson from Sweden cast the first line of the season.

Hosted by the River Tweed Commission (RTC) in Kelso, the event also saw biologists from The Tweed Foundation tell members of the public about the organisation’s important work enhancing and protecting the river’s fish stocks before pipers led a procession to the river’s edge at the Cobby, where the blessing took place.

RTC chairman, Peter Straker-Smith, said: “The Tweed provides fantastic fishing opportunities which attract people from around the globe and make a significant contribution to the Borders economy.

Angler Kent Håkansson from Sweden casts the first line of the River Tweed salmon fishing season in Kelso. Photo: Phil Wilkinson.

"Anglers who come here know that they are they are experiencing one of the world’s great salmon rivers and a fishing heritage that dates back centuries.

"We want to celebrate that, while encouraging everyone to recognise that there is much work to do to protect this precious resource.

"We’re delighted that the cabinet secretary has come down to bless the river today and look forward to working with her and her Parliamentary colleagues on the Scottish Government’s Wild Salmon Strategy.”

Rachael Hamilton MSP, also at the event, said: “I was delighted to attend the opening of the fishing season in the Tweed this year.

Mairi Gougeon MSP, Scottish Government Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and Islands, leads a procession of anglers to the banks of the River Tweed for the official opening of the river’s 2023 salmon fishing season. Photo: Phil Wilkinson

"This is such an important part of our local culture here in the Borders. Salmon fishing also makes a significant contribution to our local economy, creating jobs and attracting tourists from around the world.

“Last month, I was pleased to host an event in Parliament which highlighted the importance of salmon to Scotland’s biodiversity, as well as the crucial role that riparian woodland plays in supporting this remarkable species.

“There is no doubt that without a flourishing fishing industry in the Borders, the work of organisations such as the Tweed Commission and Tweed Forum could not be sustained.”