Report on Salmon Fisheries. 



vii 



From reports received by the Inspector of Salmon Fisheries 

 from District Fishery Boards, and referred to by him in his 

 Eeport, it appears that in comparing the results of 1903 and 

 1902, the deficiency which is noticeable in the above Table 

 in the case of the Cairnbulg to Cape Wrath, and Cape 

 Wrath to Glasgow sections of the country is due to scarcity 

 of grilse. Eeturns which the Inspector gives show that the 

 salmon were more numerous in 1903 than in 1902, but that 

 the grilse shortage more than outweighed the increase of salmon. 

 In 1902, on the other hand, the run of grilse was in many localities 

 far above the average, but returns based upon weight alone do not 

 show sufficiently the fluctuations of those light fish, since it is 

 impossible in the Railway and Steamship returns to separate them 

 from the heavier salmon. 



The chart of curves, showing the annual returns of weight of 

 salmon and grilse carried from the four sections into which the 

 country is divided, is herewith continued : — 



[Table 



