8 



Appendices to Twenty -second Annual Report 



regard to this important matter, a very definite expression of 

 opinion is to be found in the Report of the Royal Commission on 

 Salmon Fisheries (p. 16) — " We think that this is a case where the 

 " public advantage ought to outweigh the private objection, and 

 " that powers should be given to the Central Authority in England 

 " and Scotland respectively, to obtain statistics by methods alreadjr 

 " adopted for other purposes of government, by which inquisitorial 

 " treatment and unnecessary publication are avoided." 

 •'Scringing." j have pleasure in reporting that the wanton practice of netting 

 the mouths of West Highland streams, usually termed "scringing," 

 and referred to repeatedly in these reports, has lately received a 

 substantial check at the hands of The Worshipful Company of 

 Fishmongers, through their chief inspector, Mr. Morris, and their 

 established agent in Scotland, Mr. Robert Pringle, W.S. It has 

 now become difficult for those engaged in "scringing" to secure 

 the sale of their illegally caught fish. The result is, I consider, of 

 most material value to the salmon and sea trout fisheries of the 

 West Highlands. 



Pollution of It will be recollected that in February 1902 a very serious case 

 the Girvan. Q £ p 0 u u ^ on occurred in the River Girvan through the pumping of 

 accumulated water from Dalquharran Coal Pit. The water was 

 pumped into a burn which flows into the Girvan near Dailly, and 

 between this burn and the sea, a distance of about eight and a 

 half miles, every fish died. All the kelts which had not descended 

 to the sea perished, and a like fate attended the smolts when they 

 migrated seawards from the upper waters. Clean fish could not 

 ascend, and, since the pumping of the poisonous water was allowed 

 to continue, the river became practically void of migratory 

 salmonidae. An analysis of the water showed enormous 

 quantities of metallic salts, especially sulphate of iron (569*96 

 grains per gallon), that powerful absorber of oxygen ; and in the 

 opinion of the public analysts of Glasgow the water, even if mixed 

 with fifty times its own bulk of pure water, would still have 

 destroyed fish life. Mr. Kennedy, the proprietor of Dulquharran 

 Coal Pit, and chairman of the District Fishery Board, tried the 

 introduction of quicklime to precipitate the sulphates, but as much 

 as four tons of quicklime per diem appeared to produce no effect. 

 A settling pond was also tried, but the pumps working 12 hours 

 a day were throwing 475 gallons of water per minute, and it was 

 clear that such an enormous quantity could not be treated satis- 

 factorily in this manner. Finally, in July 1902, all remedial 

 measures were discontinued. In last year's report from the Girvan 

 District it was stated that an action for interdict was probable. In 

 the report I have now received, however (for 1903), it is stated 

 that no steps were taken to remove any cause of pollution, and 

 that " The river being generally flooded, the effects of the pollution 

 " from Dalquharran Colliery were not so noticeable as last year. 

 " Salmon took the fly as usual" (22 appear to have been caught), 

 " and a good stock of breeding fish are now in the upper reaches 

 " of the river. . . . The water is still being pumped from the 

 " colliery in much the same quantity as before, but it is not con- 

 " sidered to be now so much impregnated with noxious elements." 



