of the 'Fishery Board for Scotland. 279 



2. The estimated catch in relation to that of former years was : — 



(a) By fixed engine^ 



(6) By sweep net WSalmon an average — grilse below the average, 

 (c) By rod and line.) 



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



the times of greatest v\m, the figures are : — 





Jan. 



Feb. 



Mar. 



April. 



May. 



June. 



July. 



Aug. 



Sept. 



By Fixed 

 Engine 



. . 3 



12 



13 



10 



20 



30 



12 





By Sweep 

 Net . 



. . 2 



14 



13 



11 



20 



29 



11 





By Rod and 

 Line 



2 



15 



18 



15 



8 



10 



15 



7 



6 



4. Sea trout : — 



The number taken was above the average. 



5. The weight of the heaviest salmon taken during the season was about 30 



lb., several being taken at that weight. 

 The particulars of place of capture ar-e : — ^Easter Ross Bag-net Fisheries. 



Protection— 



1. The assessable rental for 1914 was £3267. 



2. The assessment levied was Is. per £. 



3. The water bailiffs employed are 2 ui number, 1 permanent inspector and 



1 temporary watcher. Gamekeepers on the estates interested are 

 authorised to act as water bailiffs. 



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



local manager in charge of the Castlecraig Fishery, occupied by the 

 Moray Firth Salmon Fisheries Company, Limited, was prosecuted for 

 failure to observe the weekly close time by failing to remove the leaders 

 of three bag nets on Saturday, 2nd May 1914. The trial took place at 

 Cromarty on 4th June 1914, and the accused pleaded guilty to the charge. 

 A fine of 2s. 6d. for each net — together 7s. 6d. — Avas imposed, with 

 expenses of £1 Is. in addition. The circumstances showed that the 

 offence was practically a teclinical one, and the fine was thus purely 

 nominal. 



Obstructions to the Passage of Fish— 



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



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



3. Fish passes built or in prospect : — ^No change. 



Pollutions— 



None. 



The Salmon Disease- 

 None. 



The Spawning Season— 



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



2. The greatest number spawned between 4th November and 20th November. 



3. Spawning ceased about the middle of December. 



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



spawning season is regarded as a little beloAv the ^ivcra^uc. The river 

 was in flood during the whole spawning season. 



