Phil Rippon, fisheries technical specialist for the Environment Agency, said: "Our fish count between February and May exceeded all previous totals, with a mixture of salmon and sea trout being observed. "Hopefully this trend will continue throughout the season and we'll have another good year for fish and anglers." Scientists use data from the counter to monitor fish populations in the river and to make decisions about how best to manage them in the future. Fifty years ago, very few salmon or sea trout were seen in the Tyne because the river was too polluted.