290 



Appendices to Thirty-third Annual Report 



{b) By rod and line — 16 salmon, 2 grilse, and about 80 sea trout 

 and whitling. 

 Grilse were very scarce during the season 1914. 

 2. The weight of the heaviest salmon taken during the season was 31 lb. 

 The particulars of method and time of capture are : — In a ! a^ net in July. 



Protection— 



1. The assessable rental for 1914 was £524 12^. 



2. The assessment levied was £26 4s. 6d. 



3. One water bailiff is employed. 



4. There were no prosecutions m 1914. 



Obstructions to the Passage of Fish — 



1. Dam dykes disused, built, or in prospect : — None. 



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



3. Fish passes built or in prospect : — None. 



Pollutions— 



The extended jNIaybole sewage scheme has now been completed at a cost 

 of over £3000. The effluent is m the meantime innocuous and should 

 remain so provided the system is properly controlled and managed. 



A new source of jiollution hitherto unsuspected has come to light through 

 the wholesale destruction of fish life in a small tributary stream of the 

 River Girvan, known as Pinwhapple Burn, 



This occurred on 11th August, and traced to its source, was found to have 

 been caused by the discharge of the poisonous fluid contained in a 

 sheep dipper into the burn at a point distant about 3 miles from the 

 river. 



Hundreds of salmon and sea trout fry were found dead in the burn on 

 the following day, and so far as could be ascertained the whole of the 

 fish m the stream below the point of discharge were destroyed. 



Sheep dippers are, of course, no new feature, but they are now much more 

 regularly used than formerly, owing to the recent Sheep Dipping Order. 



In the case above referred to, the Board intimated an action for interdict 

 and damages, but no proceedings followed o^^ing to the explanation 

 of the owner of the dipper that he was unaware of the danger, and to 

 his offer to do anything required to prevent the possibility of the 

 poisonous matter reaching the burn in future, and to remove the dipper 

 to a safe distance if required. 



In the meantime he has only been called upon to close up the outlet in 

 the concrete sole of the dipper, and to come under an obligation to 

 empty it in future by baling the contents into a suitable vessel and 

 conveying them to be discharged in a pit at a distance, prepared for 

 ilie purpose ; as the Board have under consideration the question of 

 dealing with the whole of the dij^pers in the watershed of the river. 



As will be seen from the accompanying detailed list there are no fewer than 

 22 of these dippers under suspicion. 



A definite method of deaimg with them has not yet been resolved upon, 

 as there are diffi' ulties in the way, but it seems that it would be no 

 great hardship for any of the owners to convey the poisonous liquid to 

 a distance by means of the large barrels which are in use at most farms 

 for liquid manures. 



The quantity of liquid used in this district in a dipper varies from 80 to 

 300 gallons, and the capacity of the barrels above referred to is about 

 80 gallons. 



While it is doubtless convenient it is by no means necessary that dippers 

 should be situated on the banks of a stream. The water can easily be 

 carted, and in many cases where portable dippers are used this is 

 regularly done. 



Pinwhapple Burn used to be famous for its yellow trout, but as almost 

 none were found among the dead fish it looks as if the fish indigenous 

 to the stream had been destroyed by former discharges which had 

 escaped observation. 



