Optical energy at a predetermined frequency or narrow band of frequencies is tapped from an optical fibre by causing spatially periodic deformation of the fibre such as to produce coupling of optical energy between modes of the fibre, for example between the core and cladding of a single mode fibre, at the predetermined frequency and removing the optical energy at the predetermined frequency, for example by means of a cladding mode tap for a single mode fibre. If the deformation means includes a mechanical grating then tuning of the coupling frequency can be achieved by changing the relative orientation (O) of the fibre and the grating.