of the Fishery Board for Scotland. 



287 



Protection— 



1. The assessable rental for 1913-14 was £552 12s. 8d. 



2. The assessment levied was 5s, in the pound, £138 8d. 



3. The water bailiffs employed are I in number, with about 20 game- 



keepers sworn in as special watchers. 



4. Particulars as to prosecutions instituted are briefly as follow : — During 



the year 3 persons were convicted for contraventions of different 

 sections of the Salmon Fisheries Act, and fines imposed varying from 

 £2 10s. to £3, or 14 days' imprisonment. 



Obstructions to the Passage of Fish— 



1. Dam dykes disused, built, or in prospect : — Nil. 



2. Are the bye-laws observed in every case ? — Yes. 



3. Fish passes built or in prospect : — None. 



Pollutions— 



1. The existing pollutions are : — The effluents from the mills at Dumfries 



containing dye still unconnected with the sewage system. 

 Also coal washings in the upper reaches of the River Nith from coal pits 

 in Dumfriesshire and Ayrshire. 



2. Remedial measures : — ^Nil. 



The Salmon Disease- 

 None. 



The Spawning Season— 



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



2. The greatest number spawned January and February. 



3. Spawning ceased middle of March. 



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



spawning season is regarded as very good. 



Smolts— 



1. Smolts were noticed to be migrating seawards in April and May. 



2. As a smolt year 1913 was very good. 



REPORT FROM ANNAN DISTRICT. 



Take of Fish— 



1. The number of salmon and grilse was: — 



(a) By fixed engines in the sea — Salmon about average, grilse much 



under average of the last 10 years. 

 (6) By sweep net in tidal or fresh waters — No sweep net fishing in 



tidal or fresh waters, 

 (c) By rod and line — Below the average. 



2. Sea trout : — 



(a) The number taken by fixed engine was less than 35 per cent, of 

 the average of the 10 years 1904-13. 



3. The weight of the heaviest salmon taken during the season was 41 lb. 

 The particulars of time and place of capture are : — In a fixed engine at 



Newbie Fishery in August 1913. 



Protection— 



1. The assessable rental for 1913 was £3027 10s. 



2. The assessment levied was 4s. per £. 



3. The water bailiffs employed are 4 in number. 



4. Particulars as to prosecutions instituted are briefly as follow : — There 



were no prosecutions for illegal fishing on the Scotch side of the Solway 

 Firth in 1913, 



