THE DEE 123 



remains. The actual distance in which nets appear now to be 

 used is about 2| miles. 



Since the commencement of the Association's operations the 

 rod-fishing has much improved. In the first ten or fifteen 

 years the advance was steady and evident to all. The zenith 

 appears to have been reached in " the eighties," when very 

 great runs of grilse occurred, and prospects therefore seemed 

 at their very brightest. In 1883 and 1884 about 5,000 rod- 

 caught fish are reported to have been takeri ; in 1885 about 

 6,000 was believed to be the total. 1 After this great advent 

 of grilse the number of salmon increased for some years but the 

 grilse began steadily to fall off, and I fear they are falling off 

 still, but no river in Scotland produces a total of 6,000. 



As in the case of the rods so in the case of the nets ; the 

 operations of the Improvement Association proved a distinct 

 benefit, although naturally a benefit less marked in degree. 

 The Marquis of Huntly gave the following rentals in evidence 

 before Lord Elgin's Commission : 



Coast Raik and Still Pots and Fords 



Year. Fishings. (Sea and River). (River). 



1872 . . 3,309 2,118 350 



1882 . . 3,427 2,078 300 



1892 . . 3,243 2,514 267 



1900 . . 4,368 3,239 444 



I am indebted to the Aberdeen Harbour Commission for a 

 statement of the number of fish caught in their nets, from which 

 I quote the quinquennial totals : 



Grilse. 



4,377 6,157 



4,141 4,696 



5,812 4,113 



4,782 2,238 



The two last years have produced : 



1919 . . 5,808 salmon and 5,927 grilse. 



1920 . . 6,516 2,335 



The period of the great grilse run is indicated in the third line, 

 while on the fourth line the salmon column reflects the abund- 

 ance of the five years preceding. 



1 Fourth Annual Report Fishery Board for Scotland, Ixxiv. 



