Economics

Economics

The money to run the RTC comes from the owners of the Salmon fisheries. It is raised annually through an ‘Assessment’ which each fishery must pay. Each year we decide and approve an annual budget - the amount each fishery contributes is calculated on the basis of its 5 year average catch according to the proportion of the fishery’s value to the value of the entire Tweed fishery.

To calculate these values accurately, an economic survey is done every 5 years or so by independent consultants.  The most recent survey (2016) found that Tweed Angling

• Contributes £24million a year to the local economy
• Employs 513 (full-time job equivalents)
• Contributed 70,000 visitor days, and significantly contributed to the 490,000 overnight visitors, a year, especially out of season, to Tweed.

In 2003, the RTC contributed £400K to the buy-out of the North East Drift Nets, which allowed about 37,600 salmon, and 33,900 sea- trout to return to their native rivers each year – another example of the use of private money for public good.

Each year the RTC donates about a quarter of its income to the Tweed Foundation.