IT appears salmon are making a big comeback in the River Wye despite one of the driest years on record.

The migratory fish, which run upriver to spawn in headwaters, have been caught in increasing numbers in the last few years with more than 800 nabbed by rod and line fishermen this year alone, says the Wye and Usk Foundation.

The organisation, which has taken the river under its wing with a view to improving water quality and fish numbers, says this year's figures have been good.

"However if you take the average catch over the last five years and compare it with the previous five years, fish numbers are up by over a third, and that's a figure I take much more comfort from," said spokesman Steven Marsh-Smith.

In a dry year the fish had tended to concentrate in the lower river while waiting for floodwater to help them get higher up – good for lower Wye fisheries but not so helpful for fishermen higher up.

The Foundation is pleased that it has opened the way for salmon to run up the Monnow this year, as well as the Arrow and Lugg – some of these smaller rivers have not seen spawning fish for as much as 100 years.

A lot of the Wye's salmon have been fairly big this year, to 30lb, said Marsh-Smith, while the Usk, the Foundation's other area of concern, had produced a whopping 40-pounder.

While most Wye fishermen return their catches alive to the water, this is not a compulsory rule but it may be so in the near future.

"We are consulting on this at the moment and we may well bring in a total return next season," said Marsh-Smith.