278 SALMON FISHING 



steadily increased. In order to indicate the damage 

 which bag nets are capable of doing to small rivers 

 like the Helmsdale and the Brora, Mr. Taylor 

 collected statistics from the Annual Report of the 

 Fishery Board of Scotland for 1897 : 



The Helmsdale 



Salmon taken by net and coble . 351 

 Grilse . 469 



Sea-trout 72 



The Brora 



Salmon taken by net and coble . 871 

 Grilse . 238 



The Fleet 



Salmon taken by net and coble . 20 



Taken by fixed engines (bag nets) on the 

 east coast of Sutherland 



Salmon 2709 



Grilse .... . 4779 



Sea-trout . . . .627 



Total taken by coast and river nets 



Salmon 3951 



Grilse 5486 



Total . . . 9437 

 Total salmon and grilse taken by rods 



The Helmsdale .... 507 



The Brora .... 300 



It will be seen that the salmon and grilse taken 

 by rod and line in 1897 on the two rivers numbered 

 807, and that 9437 were taken by the nets. The 

 proportion is 1 to 12. It is apparent from the 

 statistics since 1807 that unrestricted netting on the 



