of the Fishery Board for Scotland. 



271 



3. The weight of the heaviest salmon taken during the season was 47 lb. 

 The J3articulars of time Jind place of caDtuie aie : — llth July, in a i)ag 

 net at West Shieldhill. 



Protection— 



1. The assessable rental for 1914 was £1095 13s. 



2. The assessment levied was 12^ per cent. 



3. The water bailiffs employed are 4 in number. 



4. No prosecutions instituted. 



Obstructions to the Passage of Fish— 



1. No dam dykes disused, built, or in prospect. 



2. Are the bye-laws observed in every case ? — Yes. 



3. No fish passes built or in prospect. 



The Salmon Disease— 



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



reached its height m April. 

 The river was free of diseased fish in April. 



2, The number of diseased fish taken from the river and destroyed was 54, 



all kelts. 



The Spawning Season — 



1. Fish were first noticed spawnmg on 29th November 1913, 



2. The greatest number sj)awned in December and January. 



3. Spawning ceased about 15th February. 



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



spawning season is regarded as having been very good. 



Smolts— 



1. Smolts were noticed to be migrating seawards in the months of April, 



May, and June. 



2. As a smolt year 1914 was very good. 



REPORT FROM RIVER DEE DISTRICT, ABERDEENSHIRE. 



Take of Fish— 



1. The estimated catch in relation to that of former years was ; — 



{a) By fixed engine — Below average. 

 (6) By sweep net — About an average. 



(c) By rod and line — About an average. In the spring considerably 

 above average, but in autumn very much below average 

 owing to low state of river. 



2. Sea trout :— 



{a) The number taken is unknown. 



(6) As compared with previous year — Below average. 



3. The weight of the heaviest salmon taken during the season was 41 lb. 

 The particulars of time and place of capture aix' : — In August, fit the 



xAberdeen Harbour Commissioners Coast Fishings, near to the estuary, 

 by fixed engine. 



Protection— 



1. The assessable rental for 1914 was £18,784 19s 2d. 



2. The assessment levied was 5?; per cent, thereon — £1033 3s. 7d. 



3. The water bailifts employed are 25 in number. 



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



were 4 prosecutions for breaches of the Salmon Fisheries Acts impli- 

 cating 5 men : — 2 men (1 case) for taking salmon by means of a net 

 during annual close time; 1 man (1 case) for using an instrument for 

 dragging for salmon ; 2 men (2 cases) for iDcing in possession of unclean 

 salmon — 5 men, 4 cases. 



