of Fishery Board for Scotland. 



65 



Protection — 



1. Rental as given in Valuation Roll— East Coast, £2160 ; West Coast, 



£1317, but angling mostly let with shooting and not apportioned at 

 full value, otherwise rental would be much higher. 



2. None levied. 



3. Four, in addition to keepers, who assist. 



4. No. 



Obstructions to the Passage of Fish — 



1. A dam has been erected at the mouth of Loch an Ruathair, from which 



loch the River Helmsdale flows. This dam has been provided with 

 sluices and fish pass, and has been erected to cause artificial spates in 

 dry seasons. 



2. Yes. 



3. Only that referred to above. 



4. Yes. 



5. No. 



6. Only those referred to above. 



Pollutions — 

 1 and 2. No. 



The Salmon Disease — 



] , 2, and 3. No disease has appeared this year. 



The Spawning Season — 



1. 14th October ; West Coast the latter end of October. 



2. 20th October and 20th November. West Coast 15th November and 20th 



December. 



3. End of November ; West Coast about 10th January. 



4. Constantly high ; West Coast about half-flood. 



5. More than usual ; West Coast slightly less than last year, which was a good 



spawning season. 



6. Brora, Helmsdale, Fleet, Inver, Kirkaig, Laxford, and Inchard, with their 



tributaries. 



Kelts— 



L 12th January ; West Coast about 1st April. 



2. April ; West Coast, April. 



3. Beginning of June ; West Coast end of May. 



4. Half-flood ; West Coast, flood. 



Smolts — 



1. 3rd April till end of May. 



2. Very good. 



Artificial Propagation of Salmon — 



There are 3 hatcheries — one on the Brora at Carrol, about 190,000 ova ; two 

 on the Helmsdale at Torrish and Kinbrace, about 370,000 and 

 380,000 ova respectively— total, 947,000. All three belong to His 

 Grace the Duke of Sutherland. 



Proportion of Male to Female Salmon — 



There is no means of ascertaining with certainty, but males predominate. 

 During the time of fishing for ova the proportion of males to females 

 was 4 to 1. 



General Question — 

 No. 



None. 



