Report on Salmon Fisheries. 



vii 



The reports from District Fishery Boards, and others, received Reports from 

 by the Inspector of Salmon Fisheries, and included in Appendix I. T)lstr,cts - 

 to Mr. Calderwood's Report, show further that on the East 

 ('oast the improvement recorded is the result of successful fishing 

 by means of bag nets on the coast. This branch of the Scottish 

 salmon industry is now chiefly relied upon for the supply of 

 fish to the market. The dry summer of 1905 no doubt contributed 

 to the success of the fixed net fishing, since, through the lowness of 

 many of the rivers, there was no great inducement for fish to 

 ascend from the sea. For the same reason the sweep-net fishing in 

 the estuaries, and the rod fishings in the rivers, are, for the most 

 part, reported as below the average. In a river of large volume like 

 the Tay the influence of the dry season was apparently less felt. 

 Here the sweep-net fishing is reported as having been above the 

 average, no very great success having been noticed in the fishings 

 of the coast of the district. In the Moray Firth the sea nets, with 

 the exception of those in the Deveron and Findhorn districts, are 

 reported as above the average. The Deveron results are reported as 

 being for all methods of fishing much below the average ; the district 

 appears to be in a very backward state owing largely to peculiar 

 physical conditions, to which the Inspector makes special reference 

 in his report. There are now no sea nets fished on the east coast 

 of Sutherland, but the nets on the north coast maintained a good 

 average. In the West Highlands the fishings of Skye and the 

 neighbourhood are reported as having been very poor in 1905. In 

 the Clyde area good reports come from the Doon district, but from 

 other Clyde districts and from the Cree, Dee, and Annan, in the 

 Solway, reports state that the netting was below the average. 

 With regard to angling it may be said in general that, while the 

 low water conditions already referred to prevented good results 

 being obtained in very many excellent localities, rivers of large 

 volume, such as the Tay, Dee, and Beauly, maintained their high 

 reputations. In Sutherland, where, as reported last year, the 

 system of storing the head waters against the advent of dry summer 

 conditions has been adopted by the Helmsdale tenants, the success 

 of this system was again fully borne out. The water stored above 

 the Badanloch dam was sufficient to keep the river in good ply all 

 through the summer. The Helmsdale has always been a good 

 spring river, but the summer fishing was considered practically 

 valueless. The results of the storing and control of the head water 

 seem to be that the spring angling has, if possible, improved, over 

 a thousand spring fish having been taken in the six beats below 

 Kildonan, while in addition to this a good summer fishing has 

 apparently developed. 



Since the date of our last Report a District Fishery Board has New District 

 been created at Thurso to regulate the fisheries of the Thurso river ^ayS. 

 and sea coast. Sir J. G. Tollemache Sinclair of Ulbster, Bart., is 

 chairman. An alteration of the close time for rod fishing has 

 since been granted in this district. Arrangements are also almost 

 completed for the formation of a District Board for the Bladenoch 

 area in the Solway. 



