Opening Ceremony 2025
Tuesday 11 February, 9am
Come along and watch the Spey begin its new fishing season

As recently announced in the local media, we want to remind all our friends in the local Aberlour and nearby community to come and visit our opening ceremony for 2025. 

We will begin as usual at the Penny Bridge, Alice Littler Park, Aberlour starting at 9am

Richard Anderson will be our Piper for the ceremony and Reverend Donald Walker will give the blessing. We thank them for their support.

Our Guest of Honour this year is John Anderson, who will ‘open’ the river. John, a long-serving ghillie at Tulchan Estate, recently retired after 42 years of service. We wish John every happiness in his retirement. 

Car parking is available and please remember, if you are bringing young children, to supervise them at all times near to the River and within the car parking and surrounding area.

To help celebrate the start of the new salmon fishing season, drams of the new 11yo Aberlour Scottish Oak FInish from the 2024 Distillery Reserve Collection, will be served by the Aberlour Distillery Team.

Hot drinks supplied by the Aberlour Hotel will be offered during the opening ceremony, along with samples of Walkers shortbread.

The Spey Fishery Board is grateful to Aberlour Distillery, Walkers Shortbread and the Aberlour Hotel for their continued generous sponsorship of this event.

Spey Fishery Board Begins Work on Exciting New Strategy Led by Interim Director, Dr Phil Williams

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The Spey Fishery Board is pleased to welcome the support of Dr Phil Williams as our interim Director. Dr Williams brings a wealth of experience in engineering, business and leadership roles, and we are excited to work with him as we continue to protect and enhance the River Spey.

Phil has already hit the ground running, wasting no time in starting work on an exciting new strategic direction for the Spey Fishery Board. He is deeply engaged with stakeholders, having already begun analysing responses to the recent consultation, ensuring that the voices of the local community, landowners, and partners are reflected in the Board’s plans. In addition, he has been meeting with key figures across the Spey catchment to gather their insights and explore collaborative opportunities. Phil was asked to take the reins by the board after Dr Stuart Ray, who was previously appointed to the role, was unable to do so.

With experience as CEO of the Snowy Hydro scheme in Australia, many years at executive level in industry, and as a managing partner with global professional services firms, Phil is well-placed to balance the competing interests of the river’s many stakeholders. His leadership in overseeing significant engineering projects and complex environmental challenges will be invaluable in driving the Spey Fishery Board’s objectives forward.

Speaking about his new role, Phil said: “I am very happy to be asked by the Spey Fishery Board to make my contribution at such a critical time for Atlantic salmon and, indeed, the sea trout. We must make a difference, all of us where we can, to bring the salmon back from the brink. The conservation of this remarkable fish is not only essential for the health of the river’s ecosystems but also for the communities and livelihoods connected to it. I look forward to working with all people across the catchment as we all strive to play our part in safeguarding the future of Atlantic salmon for generations to come.”

We all look forward to Phil’s leadership and guidance and to the confidence this fresh start will give the Spey Fishery Board in its contribution to conserving this iconic species.

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