of the Fishery Board for Scotland. 



73 



THE DISTRICT OF LOCH LOMOND. 



Take of Fish— 



1. There has been a remarkable increase in the numbers of fish, especially sea- 



trout, both seen and taken in the Loch Lomond district in 1903. The 

 district comprises Loch Lomond, its tributary streams, notably the 

 Luss, Fruin, Falloch, and Endrick, its effluent the Leven, and the 

 Clyde fishings at Dumbarton. The Falloch and Endrick are not under 

 our control, and the Clyde fishings have been leased by us for 5 years 

 from Martinmas. 



(a) Statistics not available ; (b) Above the average ; (c) none ; (d) 

 above the average. 



2. 1 instituted an arrangement wherebj all boat-hirers should report catches 



taken by anglers — on the loch alone. It is accurate lor salmon but 

 less so for sea-trout, for many reasons. 



(a) Statistics not available ; (6) none ; (c) salmon and grilse, 60, 

 67l| lbs. ; sea-trout, 751, 1282f lbs. 



3. No statistics are available for the Clyde fishings, but (a) by rod on 



the loch, date 28th March, 1 salmon 14 lbs.; (b) May, when 22 salmon, 

 299j lbs., were caught by rod ; (c) sea-trout in May, grilse in July. 



4. This may be managed next season as we have acquired the Clyde fishings 



and must net at least to recoup the rent. 



5. (a) Statistics not available ; (b) none ; (c) 1 salmon, 27 lbs., 4th April. 



6. The general average weight was greater all over. 



Protection — 



1 and % Don't apply to our organisation. 



3. The number of watchers vary as the fish come and go. In June, July, 



August, and September, 5 men are employed generally, while other 2 

 men have special stream watching. 



4. 30 prosecutions were brought in Dumbarton, 2 were withdrawn, and 1 was 



found not proven, leaving 27 convictions obtained. The cases com- 

 prised net poaching on Clyde and Leven, gaffing and sniggling fish in 

 Leven, having illegal possession of salmon, gaffing case on Fruin. 

 The most important conviction obtained was that of 8 out of 12 men 

 ' who raided the Leven mouth in 3 boats with 3 nets. 



Obstructions to the Passage of Fish — 



1. None known. 



2. Except for some trifling defects— annually inspected and reported. 



3. None. 



4. Fruin, one difficult leap ; Luss mill dam leap is negotiable in a favour- 



able water ; Douglas, natural obstruction only partially remedied, 

 sea-trout thought to have been seen above the fall ; Falloch has a total 

 obstruction ; Endrick, the Pot of Gartness is a noted obstruction, not 

 total, but sufficient to prevent free access for salmon to about 14 miles 

 of good spawning ground. The Association has offered to remove the 

 obstruction by blasting, but the owners of one bank, a body of trustees, 

 object to any alteration. 



5. None. 



6. The most important alteration of circumstances has been the leasing by 



this Accociation of the Clyde fishings. Instead of these being netted 

 commercially by a stranger, the Association proposes to net only till 

 they pay their rent and as soon as possible to cease netting altogether. 



Pollutions — 



1. None reported 



2. The vast scheme of the Corporation of Glasgow for purifying the Clyde, 



one part of which is already in operation, has already affected the 

 purity of the estuary at the mouth of the Leven, and salmon have been 

 seen leaping above Bowling and some caught in the shipyard docks. 

 A sea-trout was caught by an angler near Uddingston. The Leven 



