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Appendices to Thirty-second Annual Report 



County Councils, members of County Councils may themselves be offenders 

 or for other reasons find themselves unable to deal with the matter. Also, 

 in practise it is generally found that there is no preventive force in the 

 Pollution of Rivers Act, so far as fishing interests are concerned. It is 

 usually too late to deal with the matter satisfactorily when things are so 

 bad that fish are dying, and are therefore obtainable as proof of pollution. 



Carron (West Ross) District. 



I am now able to report that a District Fishery Board has been created, 

 for the first time, in order to supervise this district. The Chairman is 

 Baron von Shroder of Attadale, and the Clerk, Mr. Arthur H. Duncan, 

 Sohcitor, Dingwall. The Carron has the Kishorn, Balgay and Torridon, 

 and Ewe Districts on its northern borders. 



Reports from Districts. 



I have received 33 Reports from Clerks of District Fishery Boards and 

 others respecting the season 1913. These are given in as short a form as 

 possible in the Appendix. Particulars as to actual catch, giving numbers 

 of fish, have been supplied in only 6 cases, viz., from the Tweed, Find- 

 horn, Grudie, Coigach (Kirkaig and Kannart), Loch Lomond and Leven, 

 and Girvan District. In a few districts where there is very little netting, 

 or absolutely no netting, rod catches are given, and in several cases where 

 the net catch cannot be given the rod catch is alone available. In the 

 great majority of cases the reply still is that the information cannot be 

 obtained, since the lessees decline to make returns which might influence 

 future rents. 



There are one or two districts where, owing to the removal of nets in 

 fresh waters, the improvement of the rod catch has been very marked, 

 and where the increase in the stock of salmon is certainly matter of general 

 interest. When, in 1907, the proprietors of salmon fishing rights in the 

 Deveron bought up the nets, I was able to arrange that a confidential 

 report should be furnished me each season as to the rod catch. The 

 Deveron had sunk to a distinctly low level, before the proprietors decided 

 upon the costly operation referred to, and it is of value to have some 

 record, even if confidential, showing the increase in the catch. I am 

 hopeful that when the stock has become quite satisfactory, as in time it 

 will, there may be no objection to my giving at least the total figures. 

 The Spey has already advanced beyond the present stage of the Deveron 

 in this particular, and I had hoped on this occasion to furnish an interest- 

 ing series of figures showing the great increase in the general stock of fish. 

 One proprietor in the district has been in the habit of collecting the rod 

 catch, but, having received each return privately, he takes the view that 

 the returns cannot be used for publication. I am not aware that the 

 opinions of the other proprietors and tenants have been sought, and I am 

 aware that some at least have not the slightest objection to my publishing 

 the returns. In the past the misfortune of being unable to produce 

 records of catch has always been connected with the netting interest. 

 This instance shows the same difficulty in connection with the sporting 

 interest. Being quite unable to see any adequate reason why the return 

 should not be available, I greatly regret being unable to produce it, since 

 the value of the return is distinctly of general interest in connection with 

 the increase of the stock of salmon in this district, coupled with the means 

 which have been employed to produce this result. The increase in the 

 value of the fishings is reflected in the increase of the assessable rental, 

 which has risen fully £3000 in three years. 



