32 



Appendices to Twenty fourth Annual Report 



2. Particulars as to the times grilse and sea trout appeared are as follows : — 

 First grilse caught was in river at Bridge of Dee on 6th March. 

 (This is almost about the earliest date on record in the district.) 

 Sea trout appeared towards the middle of March. 

 4. The weight of the heaviest salmon taken during the season was 45 lbs. 

 The particulars of time and place of capture are : — On 10th July at 

 Portlethen station on the coast. 



Protection— 



1. The assessable rental for 1905 was £19,332 17s. 4d. 



2. The assessment levied was at the rate of 5f per cent, on the rental. 



3. The water bailiffs employed are 23 in number. 



4. Particulars as to prosecutions instituted are briefly as follows : — 7 cases 



of prosecution, implicating 10 men — 2 for netting river and 8 for 

 having unseasonable fish in possession. Three settled by money pay- 

 ments out of court, 4 came into court — and all convicted. Fines 

 from 10s, to £2, besides expenses. 



Obstructions to the Passage of Fish— 



1. Dam dykes disused, built, or in prospect : — No dam dykes. 



2. With regard to the observation of bye-laws : — No cause for complaint as 



to the non-observance of bye-laws either by proprietors or tenants of 

 fishings. 



3. Fish passes built or in prospect : — No fish passes. 



4. Natural obstructions not yet dealt with are : — There are no natural 



obstructions in the river itself, but obstructions from rocks exist to 

 some extent in tributaries, such as the Feugh at Banchory and the 

 Luie at Braemar, and these the Board propose to deal with when 

 suitable arrangements can be made. 



Pollutions— 



1. The existing pollutions are : — Pollution in the Dee is not very aggravated, 

 but has a tendency to increase. Such as it is it arises from the sewage 

 of towns situated near the river, such as Aberdeen (part of), Banchory, 

 the Tarland Burn, Lochnagar Distillery, &c. 



1. Remedial measures : — A great sewer has been in course of construction 

 for the last five years, which will have the effect of clearing the lower 

 river of all sewage from the city of Aberdeen, directing it into the sea 

 near Girdleness. The work is now approaching completion, but the 

 sewer is not yet in operation. Pollution from sewage, &c, exists to 

 certain extents at various places in the upper waters, and these, so far 

 as above the point where the existing water supply for Aberdeen is 

 taken from the river, are presently under the consideration of the 

 Aberdeen Town Council, who, it is understood, intend taking steps 

 to have the pollution removed. 



The Salmon Disease- 

 No disease in 1905. 



The Spawning Season— 



1. Fish were first nDticed spawning on 12th October 1904. 



2. The greatest number spawned in upper reaches between 12th October 



and 30th November 1904 ; in lower reaches from 1st December 1904 

 to 1st February 1905. 



3. Spawning ceased towards middle of February. 



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



spawning season is regarded as very good — indeed the best that has 

 been experienced for some years. During the whole of the spawning 

 season the river was low. 



Smolts— 



1. Smolts were noticed to be migrating seawards on 1st March 1905. 



2. As a smolt year 1905 was very good. 



