348 THE SALMON RIVERS OF SCOTLAND 



argument. The object of a good pass at Mucomer would be 

 to get spring fish up, fish which at present congregate in 

 Mucomer Pool and afterwards ascend the Spean. In my view 

 the question is purely one as to the best interest of the district 

 as a whole. I would present these arguments for the 

 consideration, it may be, of those who are at present opposed 

 to any change : 



(a) The fish which lie long in Mucomer Pool are not the 

 best taking fish ; their absence would probably make 

 little difference to the angler. 



(6) The best of passes will still form only a makeshift for 

 a river of easy gradient, and a certain check to early 

 fish would still result. 



(c) The distribution of spawning fish would be better than 

 at present, the streams of the Arkaig district being 

 made accessible. 



The strong argument, from my point of view, is the increase 

 of stock of salmon which would result, in a few years, from the 

 better distribution of salmon and the fuller use of the fine 

 spawning grounds of the Arkaig district. With this increase 

 secured I do not believe that the fishings of Mucomer and 

 the lower Lochy would be materially affected, although a 

 falling- off might be noticeable for a few years. At the same 

 time new and valuable spring angling would have been brought 

 into existence, and the District Board provided with a new 

 source of revenue for carrying on the policing of a wider area, 

 and for regulating the fishings of the district as a whole. 



Added to this, we have, at tune of writing (1921), the most 

 serious menace to the Lochy and Spean fisheries in the Lochaber 

 Water Power Scheme. This proposes to abstract so much 

 water from the Spean, above the junction of the Roy, that the 

 latter tributary will no longer be accessible to fish. The 

 argument in favour of developing the portion of the district 

 untouched by the Power Scheme, but previously impaired in 

 the construction of the Canal, becomes infinitely stronger. 

 Indeed, I would go so far as to say that this is now the one 

 available avenue through which the salmon fisheries of the 

 district may be maintained or developed. 



