159 



and I was called on among others. I was able to show a 

 good prescriptive title for both river and sea fishings, but 

 many of my neighbours were not so successful, and then, 

 of course, the Crown officers, their right to the fishings 

 having first been established or acknowledged, advertised 

 the salmon fishings to be let to those who offered the 

 highest rent a preference, however, being given to riparian 

 proprietors. 



This investigation has been carried on along the 

 east coast of Scotland, and I believe also the west 

 coast. 



At my suggestion a return was obtained from the Woods 

 and Forests two years ago, of the amount of these Crown 

 salmon fishings for the years ending respectively Martin- 

 mas, 1871, and Martinmas, 1881, from which it appears that 

 the sum drawn for Crown leases of salmon fishings in 

 Scotland in the former year was 3198 is. 2d., and in the 

 last-mentioned year $ 1 10 14^.; this progressive increase 

 arising from the additional fisheries taken possession of 

 by the Crown officers. 



The total amount of the rental received by all kinds of 

 leases of salmon fisheries in Scotland, is believed to be 

 about 2 50,000. 



There are, however, no statistical returns which can be 

 relied on for accuracy on this point. The old Scotch 

 Fishery Board (which was abolished last year by the Scotch 

 Fishery Act) concerned itself only with sea fish. Since the 

 new board was organised, there has been, as authorised by 

 that Act, an inspector of Scotch salmon fisheries appointed 

 by the Secretary of State for the Home Department, who 

 is entitled to seek information regarding the numbers and 

 value of salmon caught, but who has only recently entered 

 on his duties. 



