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KELSO Kelts after a certain period should be killed. Kelts hooked and played for 

 ' half an hour and returned to the river may die. 



The rod season might be postponed till the 1st April or till the 15th April. 

 Kelts are not good to eat. Would not like to see them sold. If the law is 

 altered as to their capture, the sale of kelts must still be illegal. 



A disease occurred about seven or eight years ago in the Tweed. It was an 

 inflammatory disease. The fish were attacked inside. The fish died in the 

 neighbourhood. They suffered greatly. Has seen them knock their head 

 against a stone and turn up dead. They were clean fish, straight from the sea 

 in April and May. The intestines were inflamed. The flesh was covered with 

 ticks like pepper. The vent was also inflamed. The stomachs had nothing in 

 them. The coating of the stomach was nearly all gone. The pylorics stuck 

 to the stomach. The liver was also affected. This was in 1871. Very little 

 notice was taken of it. The fishermen must remember it. Scarcely any clean 

 fish came up after April or May. 



After a spate, the green stuff, weeds, &c, in the river are brought down 

 and poison the fish. 



The disease lasted only that year. Very few were seen next year. None of 

 the fungousy fish have been similarly affected. The river was very low then. 



The average size of the fish from the Tweed is 14 or 15 lbs. 



Found no worms in the liver among the unhealthy fish in 1871. Has seen 

 them in healthy fish. 



The fish in the spring are about the same size as they used to be. 



Thomas Scott, Carham. — Has been an angler all his life. There are 

 fewer fish than formerly in the Tweed. Can't say the reason. Has fished 

 regularly in the spring for nearly 45 years. Has seen a disease among the 

 spring fish. Supposed it was in consequence of injury to the fish. The 

 fungus last year was similar to what he had seen in previous years, but the 

 disease of 1879 was a new disease, because it affected fish that were not 

 injured at all. 



It affects fresh run fish as well as kelts. Never before caught fresh run fish 

 with disease. After they have been a little time in the river now they get 

 affected. The fish were similarly affected last year. Thinks the specimens 

 produced may have received an injury. 



The fungousy fish will take the fly, but not very well. In previous years 

 never saw fungus on any clean-run fish ; only on wounded fish. Thinks there 

 is a disease first, and the fungus fastens on the disease. 



The pollution of the river, if not the primary cause, has much to do with it, 

 such as sheep dipping, sheep washing, sewage and factory refuse. Sheep are 

 dipped in April. 



A fish is more likely to be diseased in unclean water than in clean water. 



The dead fish and dying fish, and all affected fish, should be taken out. 

 They should be caught by nets. 



Net fishing should go on to the end of September. The old close time 

 began on 15th October. 



Land drainage has done much to alter the river. If the water rose faster, 

 the floods would be higher ; but they are not. Drainage is for bottom water, 

 not for surface water. The water formerly got away in thousands of small 

 streams, instead of, as now, in a few large ones. 



The upper proprietors should have rod fishing extended. If any other 

 means could be devised for giving upper proprietors an interest in the river, 

 rods should not go on beyond the 15th October. 



A female salmon before spawning will take the fly very readily. The male 

 also. 



Some kelts die after being hooked and played, but the majority will not die. 

 The fish are put quietly back. Kelts caught by rod or net should be kept all 

 the season. They should be sent to the market. 



Sees no difference in the size of salmon. 



Most kelts are down by the 15th April or 1st May. It would be late to 

 begin keeping them then. Well-mended kelts are caught, and should be 

 killed. Has never seen kelts eat smolts. 



Archibald Steel {recalled). — Wishes to explain why kelts should be 

 killed, because he has seen kelts landed with both salmon and trout fry inside, 

 and has seen them chasing the fry. 



