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ANNAN, i The river is overstocked, and so is every river where there is fungus. It is a 

 ~ — symptom of overstocking. Rivers will only carry a certain amount of fish. 



When you get beyond this the disease comes. 



Recollects no previous cases of disease, and never heard of it before 18/7. 



By overstocking means there is neither room nor food for the fish. 



When fish are hard pressed they spawn below the fresh water. They did 

 not come down to the salt water to get rid of the disease. They have spawned 

 in tidal water, when they had no room above. 



Cannot say if the tributaries are full. Knows the river as far as Moffat. The 

 fish get above Moffat. There is a tributary near there. Cannot say if they 

 go up it. Cannot say whether the disease is caused purely by overcrowding. 

 = The cure is to allow fishing up to the 25th September. Under the old 

 Annan Act the close time used to end on the 10th March. A little more time 

 to kill the fish should be given now. The large rivers abroad can bear larger 

 numbers of fish than the small Scotch streams. 



All rivers with streams should be fished later. All the Solway rivers should 

 open and close at the same time, both Scotch and English. The open season 

 is now from 10th February to 27th August. Would prefer from 10th March 

 to 26th September. 



The Annan is a late river. The close time has been altered, and the river 

 placed among the early rivers. It should be as late as the Nith, or as late as 

 the close time under the old Annan Act. 



The fish are finest from 26th August to 26th September. They spawn 

 at different times. Those that go up early do not spawn till late. They are 

 not ready to spawn till after 26th September, and would be perfectly fit for 

 market. 



Cannot say if some Scotch rivers exist which have a larger stock of fish 

 than the Annan. Cannot say if they would have disease also if this is the case. 



Cannot say if the North Esk is much more stocked, or if it also should 

 have disease from overcrowding. 



Never saw a fish with the gills covered with slime. 



The diseased fish die gradually. The disease is a fresh-water disease. 

 ' There has never been a fungus on the kelts here. They might die through 

 the frost. Never saw kelts with fungus till a year or two ago. 



Smolts are never diseased. Cannot say if the diseased fish are mostly male 

 or female. Thinks they are mostly males. The males fight a great deal, and 

 a fish wounded would be more likely to die than one not wounded. 



Cannot say if the nets cause wounds. 



Never took the temperature of the water. 



Never saw a seal here, but has seen many porpoises. There were plenty in 

 former years, and whales too. 



Herrings are sometimes caught here. 



Cannot say if the disease spreads up or down the river. 



Never saw the fungus except on the fish. The fungus is perfectly white at 

 first. The whole head of the fish is covered like a "white night-cap." 



The inside of the fish is not affected. 



It is infectious, and diseased fish should all be lifted out of the water. 



If a dead salmon was found in the river covered with fungus, he would 

 throw it back into the river, because he might get 60 days for lifting an 

 " unclean fish." They should all be lifted out. A law should be made to 

 this effect, and the fish should be buried. 



The fish have increased in size lately. They run to 20, 30, 40 lbs. The 

 largest this year were a cock fish of 42 lbs., and a hen of 37 lbs. They 

 average 12 to 20 lbs. 



There are others in the river. Never gets the chance to kill them. 



Never saw birds eating salmon ; gulls eat them. Does not think birds 

 earry the disease. Cannot say for certain. 



Never counted how many kelts he has lost. Many a gross — not a thousand. 



There are no lakes connected with the Annan. 



Walter Thorburn, Inspector of Fisheries for the Annan District Fishery 

 Board. — Has had charge of the Annan for seven years. Has paid some attention 

 to the disease. First heard of it in 1877- Examined one or two fish and cut 

 them open. Found nothing amiss internally. There were sores on the head 

 and fins. 



