of the Fishery Board for Scotland. 



57 



2. The actual number of fish caught has been as follows : — 



(a) By fixed engine, not known. The lessees of the fishings refuse 



to give information. 

 (6) By sweep net, none. 



(c) By rod and line, 78 salmon and 203 sea trout in lower reaches, 

 i.e., from Monkwood water to the sea. There is no infor- 

 mation as to the upper reaches, but the catches were pretty 

 fair. 



3. Expressed as percentages for each month of the season, so as to show the 



times of greatest run, the figures are : — 





Feb. 



Mar. 



April. 



May. 



June. 



July. 



Aug. Sept. 



Oct. 



By Fixed Engine, 





















By Sweep Net, . 





~ 















By Rod and Line, 



- 



1 







1 



8 



10 10 



70 



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

 the above return, are as follows : — Grilse appeared in June ; sea 

 trout appeared in May. 

 4. The weight of the heaviest salmon taken during the season was 36 lbs. 

 by net and 25^ lbs. by rod and line. 

 The particulars of time and place of capture are : — The 36-lb. fish was 

 captured in August in the bag net in the sea near to the river mouth ; 

 the 25} 4b. fish was captured by rod and line about the beginning of 

 August in Doonholm water about three miles from the river mouth. 



Protection— 



1. The assessable rental for 1905 was £498. 



2. The assessment levied was £37 7s. 



3. There are only two water bailiffs employed, but during October the Board 



engaged the services of a special constable to watch the upper reaches 

 of the river. The keepers also of the various proprietors look after 

 the water. 



4. Particulars as to prosecutions instituted are briefly as follows: — (1) The 



lessees of the bag-net fishings in the sea were prosecuted for failure 

 on two separate occasions to remove the leaders of eight of their 

 nets during the weekly close time. The Sheriff assoilzied the 

 defenders, but this decision was reversed on appeal to the High Court 

 of Justiciary. The ground of the decision was that the fishermen 

 must prove, in order to escape the penalties provided by the Act, that 

 during the whole period of the weekly close time they were unable to 

 remove the leaders. (2) Two men Avere convicted and heavily fined for 

 taking sea tiout during the close season. 



Obstructions to the Passage of Fish— 



1. With regard to the observance of bye-laws, they are generally observed. 



2. The pass in Alloway dam dyke has been modified and rendered of easier 



gradient. 



Pollutions— 



1. The existing pollutions are : — Scouring wash from the Skeldon Mill 



(blanket manufactory). 

 1. Remedial measures : — None. 



The Salmon Disease— 



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

 its height in August. 

 The river was free of diseased fish in end of August. 



