of the Fishery Board for Scotland. 



257 



ceedings were taken against 3 men and convictions followed. The 

 cases consisted of being in possession of unclean salmon and attempting 

 illegally to take salmon. 



Obstructions to the Passage of Fish— 



During the past year the owners of the dam dyke on the Allan, at Dun- 

 blane, have altered and repaired it, with the result that it has proved very 

 difficult, if not impossible, for the fish to ascend the river. 



Prior to these alterations and repairs being carried out on the dyke, it was 

 for j^ears in a very dilapidated condition, and the fish had no difficulty 

 in getting over it. 



It is believed that the ends of this dyke have been raised and the centre 

 allowed to remain as formerly, with the result that in flood a great 

 body of water is thrown into the centre of the river, and it is too strong 

 for the fi.sh to ascend. At the close of last year large numbers of fish 

 had to be caught at the bottom of the dyke, and returned to the riVer 

 above the dyke, to enable them to get to the upper reaches of the 

 Allan to spawn. Negotiations are proceeding with the owners of the 

 dyke, with a view to alterations being made thereon, to enable the 

 fish to ascend the river. 



Pollutions— 



1. The existing pollutions are : — Town sewage, dyeworks, bleach works, gas- 



works, tanneries, coal pits, and other industrial concerns. 



2. Remedial measures : — On the invitation of the Fishery Board, a meeting 



of representatives from the local authorities interested in the purifica- 

 tion of the river, was held at Sirling on 24th October 1913. Repre- 

 sentatives were present from the Coimty Councils of Stirling, Perth, and 

 Clackmannan respectively, and the Burgh of Stirling. 

 The polluted condition of the river was fully discussed, and the various 

 methods that might be adopted to bring about its purification. The 

 Fishery Board strongly pressed the County Council representatives 

 to make a recommendation to their Councils to apply, within certain 

 limits, the provisions of the River Pollution Prevention Act, 1876, to 

 the tidal waters of the Forth, but in view of the opinions expressed by 

 the Medical Officers of Health for Stirling and Clackmannan respectively 

 the Stirling representatives did not see their way to make such a 

 recommendation. 



No resolution was adopted at the meeting, but it is understood that the 

 County Council of Stirling ha ve continued a remit to a sub-committee 

 to examine the condition of the river during the months of June, July, 

 and August, and to report regarding its condition in the interests of 

 public health. 



The local authorities on the tributaries of the Forth, with the exception 

 of Bridge of Allan, have undertaken to take steps with a view to the 

 purification of their effluents. 



The Salmon Disease— 



1 . Disease made its appearance this year in the month of October. 

 The river was free of diseased fish in May 1913. 



2. The number of diseased fish taken from the river and destroyed was as 



follows : — 



Males. Females, 

 Kelts ...... 201 55 



Clean ...... 20 5 



The Spawning Season— 



1. Fish were first noticed spawning on 20th October. 



2. The greatest number spawned in December. 



3. Spawning ceased in February. 



4. As regards numbers of breeding fish, and state of the water, the past spawn- 



ing season is regarded as a very bad one, owing to the great scarcity 

 of grilse and the flooded state of the rivers for the whole of the spawning 

 season. 

 12 



