In 1850, the Berwick Shipping Company, later known as the Berwick Salmon Fisheries Company listed their conditions for employing fishermen in 1850. According to the conditions, men were to be paid 12 shillings per week with an additional 6 d for every 20 fish. Boys , aged 13 were to be paid 4 shillings per week whilst those over 15 were to be paid 6 shillings a week.

The Berwick Shipping Company operated a number of the fisheries on the lower Tweed. Each fishery had a separate “shiel” ( small building) where the men lived and slept during he season. Some of these still survive and are visible today along the banks of the Tweed.

As part of their duties, the men were expected to take it in turns to guard their fishing shiel every Saturday night (close season) to ensure that none of their equipment was stolen or used by poachers.