of the Fishery Board for Scotland. 



241 



adopted, and also because it was evident that the dragging of the trammel 

 net was a far more successful method of catching white fish than the 

 setting of the large stake nets misnamed " white fish nets." 



Coop Nets in Wigtown Bay. 



At Creetown the following morning I found all the salmon nets 

 removed in conformity with the requirements of the Salmon Acts, 

 Desiring also to visit the Innerwell nets and to see the small coop nets set 

 out on the wide flats of this region, I managed after some difficulty to 

 accompany two men who were going out to set a coop net. The coop net 

 is the same as the " paidle net " of the Nith district, and has been 

 successfully proceeded against by the Nith District Fishery Board. 



In Wigtown Bay I found the coop nets and cross arms only about four 

 feet high, and with the usual trap and barrel or coop. About seven of 

 these nets are now fished in this locality, where the metliod of fishing is a 

 comparatively recent development, since the destruction of a mussel bed 

 near Creetown deprived men of shell-fish fishing. I questioned various 

 men on the subject, and was informed that these coop nets in this locality 

 do not catch very many sea trout, but do catch salmon at times. When 

 this happens during the close season, there seems no difficulty in disposing 

 of the salmon locally. 



I found only plaice and codling in the nets I examined. 



Sparling Fishing. 



The sparling net commonly used in this neighbourhood is about 140 to 

 150 yards long. The mesh is so small as to catch shrimps, being 42 to 45 

 rows to the yard in the bosom, and 45 to 55 rows in the wings. Actual 

 measurement of the mesh of a new net showed the mesh to be ^-inch. 



In the estuary of the Cree the practice prevails for those who have 

 right of salmon fishing to let the right of sparling fishing. The result is 

 that certain authorised men, who are at the same time the lessees of the 

 salmon fishing, fish in the tidal waters of the Cree and in the upper part 

 of Wigtown Bay, while other men fish as they choose further down the 

 estuary beyond the limits of the salmon fishings. 



A local close time for sparlings has existed for some years, and was 

 brought about in the interests of the anglers in the river Cree. It 

 appears, however, that there is some ambiguity about the dates, more 

 especially the opening date. By 1st September, however, all sparling 

 fishing is supposed to cease. Nevertheless, at the date of my visit, on 19th 

 September, two boats' crews were actively engaged in netting for sparlings 

 at the side of the river channel off' Wigtown. 1 am informed that this 

 fishing is conducted by men other than the salmon lessees, after the 

 authorised sparling fishers have ceased operations, and is carried on as 

 long as there are sparlings in the estuary, which commonly means till well 

 on in October. In the Sol way Firth, east of Abbey Head, in Kirkcubright- 

 shire, the Bye-law of the Fishery Board for Scotland, dated 12th June 

 1902, comes into force. This creates a close time from 1st February to 

 1st September inclusive. So early a date of commencement would not 

 affect the Cree and Wigtown districts, since sparling fishing does not 

 begin there, I believe, till the month of July. 



In the Ta}^, arising out of a case for interdict against sparling fishers 

 tiied before Lord Trayner, a local close time for this kind of fishing has 

 been established from 25th February to 25th September in each year. 

 The method of fishing is somewhat different in the Tay, boom nets being 

 employed from boats anchored in the tideway. . The action by the Tay 

 District Fishery Board was largely to protect the salmon smolts descending 

 in late spring and early summer. 



