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following from a report of the Scotch Fisheries Improve- 

 ment Association, read and adopted at the public annual 

 Meeting held at Edinburgh in May 1881 : 



"There are seven counties in Scotland, with 32 rivers, 

 which have ceased to be frequented by salmon ; owing, first, 

 to dams built across the rivers, which prevent the fish 

 getting up to spawn ; and, second, to manifold pollutions 

 from town sewage, bleach-fields, chemical works, and other 

 manufactories. 



" In eight counties with salmon rivers in them, there 

 are no District Fishery Boards. 



" In one of these counties, viz., Ross and Cromarty, there 

 are no less than 32 salmon rivers, all without official pro- 

 tection. 



" In Argyleshire, where there are about 30 salmon rivers, 

 there is but one District Fishery Board, and its place of 

 meeting (when it does meet) is in the Island of Mull." 



There has thus been almost an entire collapse of the 

 arrangements which were devised by Government, and 

 sanctioned by the Legislature in 1868, for the protection 

 and management of the Scotch salmon fisheries. 



In the year 1870, this fact became known to Government, 

 through the reports officially made by the different county 

 sheriffs, who had been appointed by the Act of Parliament 

 to take steps for forming the District Boards. I must 

 do the Government of that day the justice to say, that 

 viewing the matter in a serious light, they lost no time in 

 endeavouring to obtain the best information with a view 

 to a remedy. The Honourable Mr. Bruce (now Lord Aber- 

 dare) then Secretary of State for the Home Department, 

 appointed two competent Commissioners, the late Frank 

 Buckland and Mr. Archibald Young of Edinburgh, to 

 visit the different counties in Scotland, and report, "how 

 far District Fishery Boards are in operation in Scotland, 



