40 



Appendices to Twenty -second Annual Report 



Proportion of Male to Female Salmon- 

 No. 



General Question — 



The salmon fisheries of this district continue to suffer from the prevalence of 

 hang or drift net fishing. The common law remedies are quite 

 inadequate to deal with this species of illegal fishing, and it will be 

 impossible to cope with it to any good purpose until it is made a 

 statutory offence, akin to fishing with a net having an undersized mesh. 



No change during the year 1903. 



THE DISTRICT OF THE RIVER TAY. 

 Take of Fish— 



1. Salmon were good average, but the grilse were a poor crop, and small in 



size. This applies over all the district. 



2. No. 



3. (a) 16th January when rod-fishing opened ; (6) last half of July and 20 



days into August ; (c) Very few till end of June, and all of poor 

 quality. 



4. No means of furnishing accurate record. 



5. (a) 49 lbs., a fairly large number about 45 lbs ; (6) 51 lbs.; (c) 51 lbs. 



6. No, quite the opposite. 



Protection — 



1. £22,901 17s. 



2. 7 per cent., equal to £1603 2s. 9d. 



3. 26 men in close time. 



4. Since last report 48 cases have been tried (41 in Perth Sheriff Court, 



4 in Cupar-Fife Sheriff Court, and 3 in Forfar Sheriff Court), involving 

 86 persons in all. The offences consisted of cleeking, stoning, or being 

 found in possession of fish in close time, 27 cases ; possession of foul 

 fish, 9 cases ; fishing for salmon without leave of proprietor, 4 cases ; 

 killing smolts, 2 cases ; fishing with salmon roe, 1 case ; fishing with 

 a net in close time, 1 case ; fishing with drift net, 1 case ; taking 

 salmon with sparling net, 1 case ; and possession of salmon in close 

 time, 2 cases. Of the 86 persons involved, 83 were convicted, 1 

 absconded before trial, and the charge against two was found not 

 proven. Of the 83 persons convicted, 81 were fined, 1 was admonished, 

 and in 1 case no penalty was imposed. Fines ranging from lis. to 

 £5 4s. were imposed, representing a total sum of £164 5s. of fines and 

 expenses imposed, averaging slightly over £2 for each person con- 

 victed. The alternativen ranged from 3 to 30 days' imprisonment. 

 Fifty-four paid fines, 16 were imprisoned, and 11 have yet to be 

 dealt with. 



Obstructions to the Passage of Fish — 



1. No dams destroyed, disused, or built. 



2. No cruives in use now. Hecks cannot be said to be satisfactory, but these 



are receiving the attention of the Board. 



3. A salmon ladder built at dyke erected on Almond last year by Mr. Coats. 



4. They are not all that could be desired. 



5. No. 



6. No change during year. 

 Pollutions — 



1. No, but injury from existing causes is increasing. 



2. No steps taken. 



