Tamar - River management

River management

Environment agency rod licence

Any angler aged 12 years or over, fishing for salmon, trout, freshwater fish or eels in England (except the River Tweed), Wales or the Border Esk and its tributaries in Scotland must have an Environment Agency rod licence.

Money from the sale of licences helps to fund work managing fisheries. If you are caught fishing without one, you are cheating other anglers and could be fined up to �2,500.

Click here to buy your rod licence online

The West Country Rivers Trust

The West Country Rivers Trust says: "The River Tamar, Devon & Cornwall. Stretching 60 miles from source to sea and reaching into both Devon and Cornwall, the river Tamar shapes our history, our lives and our identities.

From the patchwork fields, moorland and skylines that surround us, to the food we eat, the businesses we run and the daily experiences we have it flows through everything we do.

It provides 116 million litres of water for us every day, to drink, to wash in, to water our gardens and to clean our cars. Its banks and tributaries are a place for our kids to play, for our dogs to cnufle and for our Sundays to lazily unwind. It plays a part in the food we see on our plates, how our bills add up and even whether we get to work on time.

In short, the Tamar is part of us all – and we are part of it.

How very true and if you want to help improve the river then join the WRT

Fishing regulations

Environment Agency national byelaws

These byelaws were introduced in 1999 together with byelaws restricting net fisheries as part of a package of measures to protect the future of salmon stocks. Full copies of the byelaws are available from regional offices.

Early season catch and release for salmon with rod and line: any angler who catches a salmon before the 16th June in any calendar year, must return the fish immediately to the water with the least possible injury.

Early season method restriction for salmon with rod and line: any angler fishing for salmon may only use artificial fly or artificial lure before 16th June in any calendar year.

All licensed salmon and sea trout anglers must make a return by 1 January in the following year. This includes "Nil" returns. A catch return form is attached to the angler's rod licence.

You may not use a landing net with any knotted meshes or meshes of metallic material. (Knots along the seams of the nets are permitted, provided that the net is constructed from knotless mesh.)

The use of a gaff is prohibited at all times when fishing for salmon, trout, freshwater fish or freshwater eels in England and Wales.

No fishing weights made of lead may be used except those of 0.06 grams or less and those of more than 28.35 grams.

In angling terms this means that lead shot from size 14 to size 8 and lead weights of over 1 ounce can be used in fishing.

While lead dust shot (size 8 and smaller) are legal, they are toxic to birds if ingested. Use spillproof containers for lead dust shot and always dispose of used lead safely at home.

In addition the following voluntary restrictions for salmon fishing have been recommended by the Tamar and Tributaries Fisheries Association (TTFA):

A maximum of one salmon can be taken per rod per day, with 70% of all rod-caught fish returned.

All fish of 10lb or over to be returned after September 1st.

All unseasonable or red fish to be returned.

Biosecurity

Catch and release

This is where a fish is caught but returned to the water to help preserve fish stocks. Many rivers make this mandatory at particular times of year so you should check the situation when booking.

This page is to give advice on best practice to increase the chances of the fish surviving. There is also a very good leaflet available here

Playing the fish

If you are 'playing' a salmon you can significantly help its chances of survival by applying the information below. It is worth bearing in mind that less than 7% of smolts return as spawning adults, therefore, it is vitally important that the angler who is planning to return his catch is able to tackle this with success and confidence.

Ensure your rod is strong enough to subdue a fish quickly 1 minute per pound weight is a reasonable suggestion for time for landing a fish. To avoid exhausting the fish it is prudent to use 15-20lb leader material where possible. Salmon are not renowned for being cautious about leader visibility. When playing the fish it is the anglers aim to move the salmon out of the fast current into quieter water and have the angler positioned slightly below the fish.

By being below the fish you are able to ensure the salmon is battling the current as well as the anglers tackle whereas if the angler is upstream of the fish the angler is fighting the current and the fish. The fight time is therefore lengthened, perhaps un-necessarily. Make sure you pick a safe place to bring the fish to land. Once the fish is subdued bring it quickly to the bank for hand or net capture.

Landing the fish

Research has shown that exposing a salmon to air for even a short period, for example to take a photograph, can significantly reduce its chances of survival. Keep the salmon in the water at all times. Do not at any time lift a salmon up by the tail as this can damage the tendons in the tail of the fish. Later in the season as the salmon nears spawning time, lifting a salmon by the tail can cause the egg sacs in females and milt sacs in males to rupture into the body cavity which can kill the fish in extreme cases thereafter. At all times support its belly whilst handling the fish in the water.

Use a large Gye-type landing net with knotless mesh which reduces damage to the fish's scales. It is wise to avoid beaching the fish as this again can remove protective mucous and scales from the fish which can lead to fungal infection. The salmon that is being returned cannot be gaffed or tailed by mechanical tailer, as both implements cause considerable damage to the fish and were used historically when fish were being killed by the angler, in the days before the catch and release initiatives, that are currently in place through out many river systems in the UK.

Always handle the salmon with wet hands, or put on soft cotton gloves which need to be wet, when removing the hook from the fish's mouth or body if accidentally foul hooked. This prevents removing the fishes mucous which is the fish's first line of defence against disease and parasites.

It is very important that the fish is kept in the water after being captured and the fish should be supported from beneath, with the hook gently removed either by hand or by means of long-nosed forceps or hook releasing tool. If a hook is deeply embedded and cannot be removed, the leader should be cut close to the hook, as fish released with the hook attached will generally survive, and try not to squeeze the fish too hard, and never hold it by the gills at all times.

Releasing and reviving the fish

Avoid weighing the fish if at all possible and if you have to then weigh the net with the fish enclosed in it, a Maclean net is suitable for this. Available here A tape measure or a marked off wading stick can also be used to take the approximate length while keeping the fish in the water.

Alternatively, to accurately measure a big fish capture, an angler can run a length of monofilament or fluorocarbon from a spool, measuring from the fork of the tail to the nose of the fish and tie a knot. Continue to run the mono round the girth of the fish and tie another knot. By cutting the mono just above the second knot the angler has a length that he/she can measure against a tape measure later. Ally Gowans has a calculator for predicting the size of fish which is available on the internet here

I am sure anglers will find this advice most helpful. Perhaps one day beats may supply this information to visiting anglers on small laminated leaflets with beat conditions. Survival rate is greater at water temperatures below 20°C so be aware of the necessity to quickly subdue and return the fish during the summer months.

Survival chances of released salmon

There has been research carried out by a number of fishery trusts that has shown that the survival rate of salmon caught and released may be close to 100% when we apply the above guidelines and practice.

Spawning success and viability of eggs may be unaffected in salmon caught and released in late autumn using the above guidelines, and they can recover within twenty four to forty eight hours of being captured and are able to spawn successfully.