164 Part III.—Twenty-fourth Annual Report 
70 per cent. of first-class sprats, the number of young food fishes other 
than young herring forming only an insignificant fraction. 
The sprats were mostly of large size, their average sizes varying from 
98cm. to 12-5cm., and contrasted greatly with the much smaller and 
younger sprats of last season. 
Unlike last season, there was a keen demand for sprats throughout 
almost the whole of this season, and the usually brisk competition amongst 
the buyers kept the prices generally at a high standard. 
In consequence of the good prices which the fishermen obtained for 
their fish, there was less dissatisfaction amongst them than last year, but 
there still remained great discontent amongst the buyers, owing to what 
they consider the excessive railway rates charged for the carriage of the 
fish to the various English markets. 
The complaints of the fishermen gradually increased, however, as the 
fish became scarcer, and much real distress prevailed again during January 
and February. 
With regard to the great scarcity of fish during December, January, 
and February, some of the men thought it was because of the want of 
south-easterly gales, and others because of the weak tides, heavy spates, 
and frosty weather. I also interviewed a few old fishermen, some of 
whom had been all their days taking part in the various fishings on the 
River Tay, and one and all complained bitterly of the great scarcity of all 
kinds of fish in the River Tay at the present day. They attribute this 
great scarcity of fish to the general increase in the numbers of bleaching 
works, dye works, ink factories, paper mills, and tanneries, and to the 
gradually increased sewerage from Perth downwards. They declare that 
20 and 25 years ago fish of many different kinds were very plentiful in 
all parts of the river; salmon and trout were exceedingly plentiful, and 
great numbers of large black flounders were got all the way from New- 
burgh to Broughty-Ferry, and were particularly plentiful on the north side 
of the Middle-Bank, where they are now scarce and of a much smaller 
size. Large cod were also very plentiful in various parts of the estuary, 
and were occasionally captured in considerable numbers as far up the 
estuary as Invergowrie Bay. Plaice, dabs, brill, and other fishes were also 
in much greater numbers than at the present day. During that time-—— 
20 and 25 years ago—the sprat boats only numbered some half-dozen, but 
they quickly increased until they numbered somewhere about 30, and 
have remained at about that number for many years. 
Here I must mention, in connection with the general scarcity of fish in 
the river, the bitter complaints of the sprat fishermen and the Broughty- 
Ferry fishermen, who allege that the barge and dredger men in the 
employment of the Dundee Harbour Trustees deposit large quantities of 
mud and filth in the vicinity of Monifieth Bay, and have thus completely 
destroyed excellent spawning grounds of the winter herring. The barges 
containing mud dredged from the Dundee and Tayport harbours are 
supposed to be towed out to the mouth of the river, but the fishermen 
assert that on the approach of darkness, or if there be the least sign of a 
storm outside, the mud is at once dumped down in the vicinity of 
Monifieth Bay. I advised the fishermen to communicate with the Fishery 
Board in connection with the matter, but found later that the Broughty- 
Ferry Town Council had been in communication with the Dundee 
Harbour Trustees, and that the latter had, in consequence, instructed their 
employees to convey all mud to the mouth of the river. 
During the course of this season’s fishing, I pointed out to several 
fishermen and buyers that the Fishery Board regretted the destruction of 
so many voung herring and sprats in the Tay estuary, and I suggested 
