44 Appendices to Twenty -fourth Annual Report 



3. The water bailiffs employed are 4 in number — 3 temporary and 1 per- 



manent. 



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



were 2 prosecutions for failure to observe the weekly close time. (1) 

 In the first case the respondents were Messrs. George Paterson & Sons, 

 salmon fishers, Portmahomack, and they were charged for failure to 

 slap the leaders of their bag nets at several fishing stations on two or 

 three successive weeks. A conviction was obtained on one or two of 

 the charges, and a fine of £12 was imposed. (2) The other prosecution 

 was against Mrs. Margaret Tough, lessee of the Geanies Fisheries, also 

 for failure to observe the weekly close time. A conviction was 

 obtained and a fine of £5 imposed. In addition to the above, a pro- 

 secution was instituted in London by the Fishmongers' Company 

 on our behalf against J. Finlayson, fisherman, Cromarty, for 

 sending foul fish to the London market. The trial took place in 

 London, and defendant was convicted and fined £10 15s., being 5s. for 

 each fish taken, with £10 10s. of expenses, or, in default, two months' 

 imprisonment. 



Obstructions to the Passage of Fish— 



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



disused nor built, or are any in prospect. 



2. With regard to the observance of bye-laws : — All the bye-laws have been 



strictly observed. 



3. Fish passes built or in prospect :— No fish passes have been built, nor are 



there any in prospect. 



4. Natural obstructions not yet dealt with are : — Falls of Orrin, Falls of 



Scatwell, Falls of Conon, Falls of Rogie, and Falls of Garve. 



Pollutions— 



None. 



The Salmon Disease- 

 None. 



The Spawning Season— 



1. Fish were first noticed spawning about the middle of October. 



2. The greatest number spawned between 5th November and 18th Novem- 



ber. 



3. Spawning ceased about the middle of December. 



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



spawning season is regarded as about the average. 



Smolts— 



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



2. As a smolt year 1905 was fairly good. 



Artificial Propagation of Salmon — 



1. The number of ova secured locally during the past season was nil. 

 Owing to the very heavy floods during the time spawning salmon were 

 on the redds, it was not practicable to put a net on the river. 



REPORT FROM ALNESS DISTRICT. 



Take of Fish— 



1. As compared with the average results of previous years, the take of fish 

 generally throughout the district has been below the average. 

 More particularly it has been 



(a) By fixed engines in the sea — No fixed engines in Alness district. 



(b) By sweep net in tidal or fresh waters, below the average. 



(c) By rod and line, below the average. 



