394 THE SALMON RIVERS OF SCOTLAND 



but as the action of the sea is incessant, and the correcting 

 action of the river only very intermittent, the general result 

 is the slow turning northwards of the river channel at its 

 mouth. In denning the limits of estuaries to such rivers as 

 run directly into the sea on open beaches, as is the case here, 

 the Administrative Commissioners under the Salmon Fisheries 

 (Scotland) Act, 1862, commonly directed that a part of a circle 

 be drawn, with a specified radius, from a centre placed in the 

 centre of the channel at low-water mark. In this way a definite 

 estuary, inside the limits of which fixed nets could not be set, 

 was secured to a river with a shifting mouth. This was the 

 first plan adopted in the case of the Doon, but unfortunately 

 it was not acted upon, and in 1864 an estuary was laid down 

 from fixed points on the shore, viz. : "A Segment of a Circle 

 of 400 Yards Radius, drawn from a Centre placed Half-way 

 between the nearest End of the Two Rocks on the opposite 

 Sides of the River Mouth. ..." 



It is clear, therefore, that if fixed nets are fished close to the 

 northern limit of this estuary, and the river -mouth slowly 

 shifts in that direction, the real purpose of the estuary is slowly 

 being defeated. The mountain is coming to Mahomet. 



Spring fish enter the river at a quite early date some years, 

 the water-flow, plus the temperature, no doubt determining 

 this to a great extent. In 1907 a run of fish was noticed to 

 enter as early as 8th January. In 1901 and 1902 the first 

 spring fish were taken at the opening of the fishing season on 

 llth February. On other years they are not present appar- 

 ently, till March, or even later. In 1908 the first fish was 

 caught on 24th March. 



A great number of sea-trout also run the Doon and yield 

 capital sport in July. In some seasons, 1904 for instance, 

 over 1,000 sea-trout may be taken by rod, and some of the fish 

 are heavy weights. 



With regard to the total number of salmon taken in the 

 season, I may say that in 1907 it was estimated that 673 was 

 the score. In the lower reaches, from Monkwood water down- 

 wards, the score of salmon taken by rod varies from about 80 

 to about 300. 



The Doon fisheries have passed through several periods of 

 depression owing to pollution and over-netting, but under the 



