THE CONON DISTRICT 



197 



to the other is now the limit of the estuary, which estuary also 

 serves for the river Alness. 



The upper estuary and lower river have for many a long year 

 been steadily netted. Now at last there seems some prospect of 

 overnetting coming to an end, although the usual netting will con- 

 tinue during season 1909. Twenty-seven shots are fished here in 

 three and a quarter miles of water, and since at the top of this 

 netted section the Brahan Castle Cruive dyke exists, which is also 

 fished at two boxes, all other openings being closed, it will be readily 

 understood that a very complete control over all ascending fish can 

 be exercised, and, except during floods or the weekly close times, fish 

 have poor chance of reaching the upper waters. In 1907 the nets 

 are said to have secured considerably over 4000 fish. On the opening 

 day 150 clean fish were got at the first sweep. 



The proprietors of fishings above the cruives have always been 

 anxious to secure a more adequate stock of fish. An arrangement 

 of a private nature by which the cruives were formerly left open 

 was entered into by the late Mr. Stirling of Fairburn and Colonel 

 Mackenzie of Seaforth for the years 1889 to 1900, and during this 

 period of twelve years the rentals above the cruives steadily rose. 

 The subjoined table shows the rentals above and below the cruives, 

 while the rectangular line encloses the period during which the 

 cruives were open : 



ASSESSABLE RENTALS. 



