of the Fishery Board for Scotland. 



15 



Smolts— 



1. Smolts were noticed to be migrating seawards about 1st April 1908, and 



continued up to the middle of June. 



2. As a smolt year 1908 was good. 



REPORT FROM NORTH ESK DISTRICT. 

 Take of Fish— 



2. The actual number of fish caught has been : — By rod and line, from 31st 



August, when net fishing closed, to 31st October, when rod fishing also 

 closed, 379 salmon and 73 grilse, total 452, as recorded by bailiffs. No 

 statistics as to fish caught otherwise. 



3. For each month of the season the figures are : — 



Sept. Oct. 



By rod and line, .... 101 351 



Particulars as to the times grilse and sea trout appeared, as included in the 



above return, are as follow : — 

 30 grilse were taken in September and 43 in October by rod and line. 

 The first grilse was taken in the sea on 22nd April, and in the river on 8th 



June. 



Sea trout were taken in the sea and river early in May. 



4. The weight of the heaviest salmon taken during the season by rod and line 



was 34 lbs. 



The particulars of time and place of capture are : — September, Hatton ; 

 but heavy fish were got all over the river. 



Protection— 



1 . The assessable rental for 1908 was £6474. 



2. The assessment levied was 6 per cent. 



3. The water bailiffs employed are 12 in number, including superintendent. 

 Pollutions— 



1. The principal existing source of pollution is the effluent from North Esk 



Distillery, about a mile from the mouth of the river. 



2. Remedial measures : — Filtering tanks. 



The Salmon Disease— 



1. Disease made its appearance this year in the month of November, and 



reached its height in December. 

 The river was free of diseased fish in the end of March. 



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



follows : — 



Males. Females. 



Kelts, 143 59 



Clean, 122 139 



Note. — There were also other 7 clean fish, the sex of which was not noted. 

 With the exception of these 7, the above clean fish were spawning fish, 

 unspawned. 



The Spawning Season— 



1. Fish were first noticed spawning on 11th November. 



2. The greatest number spawned in December and January. 



3. Spawning ceased early in February. 



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



spawning season is regarded as a fair average. 



Smolts- 



1. Smolts were noticed migrating seawards in March, April, and May. 



2. As a smolt year 1908 was very good, smolts being of very large size. 



