124 THE SALMON RIVERS OF SCOTLAND 



The fact that the Aberdeen Harbour Commissioners, pro- 

 prietors of all the valuable net fishings now remaining, have for 

 many years subscribed to the funds of the Association referred 

 to, is sufficient proof that they consider the operations as in 

 their interest. 



With regard to the estuary of the Dee, a rather peculiar 

 position has come about. According to the schedule of the 

 1868 Salmon Act the estuary is defined as " A portion of a 

 circle of 400 yards radius to be drawn from a centre placed 

 midway between the outermost point of the north pier and 

 the outermost point of the breakwater, and continued shore- 

 wards by tangents to the circle drawn to the nearest points 

 of the shore of the respective sides of the river at high-water 

 mark of equinoctial spring tides." This definition did not 

 take into account the possibility of any extension of the harbour 

 works ; the peculiarity of the position has arisen by operations 

 of this kind. About 1870'the Harbour Commissioners extended 

 the north pier 500 feet, practically demolished the old break- 

 water, and constructed a new breakwater 1,100 feet further 

 down the tideway. The result is that the south breakwater 

 now in existence is outside the estuary as previously defined. 

 Considerable argument has arisen as to whether or not the 

 estuary should or should not be shifted with the extension of 

 the works, but as no powers exist for the creation of a new 

 bye-law which would redefine the estuary, the interpretation 

 remains as it was before the extension of the works. This 

 being the case, the Harbour Commissioners, being, as has 

 already been said, extensive salmon fishers in the neighbour- 

 hood, set three bag-nets on the south breakwater. These nets 

 have the benefit of the breakwater as a kind of leader, which 

 cannot be removed during the weekly close time, and have, 

 perhaps naturally enough, excited the criticism of the upper 

 heritors. If one wishes to obtain a good view of a salmon 

 bag-net extended for fishing, there is no better place that I 

 know of than this south breakwater. 



The question of pollution at Aberdeen had become a very 

 serious one some years ago. The District Fishery Board, the 

 millowners, and the Aberdeen District Committee of the County 

 Council, and others attempted to arrive at some joint scheme 

 by which purification could be secured. After prolonged 



