Crafty otter the culprit for salmon deaths

Alexa Brown • Published 1 Sep 2009 15:49 0 Comments

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A LOCAL conservation group has dismissed claims that work at Wilderhaugh weir has killed salmon.

And they believe an otter is the culprit of the fish cull.

The Tweed Foundation are carrying out work at the cauld on the Gala Water to allow fish to pass upstream more easily.

A nearby neighbour this week claimed to have seen dead salmon at the lower side of the weir, part of which is currently blocked off by sandbags.

But there have since been sightings of a hungry otter at work on the site, which is believed to be the reason for the dead fish.

A spokesperson for the Tweed Foundation told the Border Telegraph: "We've had reports from a firm that overlooks the river of an otter at the cauld, which is the reason for the dead fish. It's natural history of a nice kind. There is no need to worry about fish being unable to travel up the pass. In fact the purpose of the works is to allow fish to travel up more quickly which will hopefully allow them to avoid the otter!

"There are fewer fish going up at the moment, which is why we're carrying out the work now. We also have biologists working on site, and any that want to get up are being netted out alive and placed above the cauld alive.

"We would ask any members of the public who are concerned about the works to contact the Tweed Foundation directly."

Work is expected to be completed within the next week.

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