XIV 



Thirty-fourth Annual Report 



A certain reduction in catching power has taken place owing to 

 the War. In the Firth of Forth all bag nets were prohibited, and the 

 netting was confined to the use of fly nets which ebb dry, and for 

 the fishing of which the use of a boat or coble was therefore unneces- 

 sary. We think it unlikely, however, that this reduction accounts 

 for more than a very small part of the decline. On the other hand, the 

 most successful fishing which was obtained in the extreme north of 

 the country is in great part made up of grilse. In some of these 

 northern districts eight or ten grilse are taken to every adult salmon, 

 and as our data consist of weights of consignments, a large number 

 of small and light fish do not swell the figures. 



From some districts, as for instance from the Tweed, which is 

 not formally under our supervision, but from which reports are kindly 

 sent, actual numbers are given. In 1915 in the Tweed 1500 fish were 

 caught by fixed nets in the sea, 13,339 fish were taken by river nets, 

 and about 2000 were taken by rods. In this case, therefore, the rods 

 took more salmon than the sea nets. Our own experimental netting 

 on the coast has shown, as reported by Mr. Calderwood, that large 

 numbers of salmon may be traced from the coast of one district to 

 the coast and rivers of other districts, while the broad interests of 

 salmon fisheries in the whole country are affected by the policy 

 adopted, and the results obtained in each district. 



Now in 1915, according to information which has reached the 

 Board, the net fishings of the Spey District did so badly that the catch 

 has been described as the worst on record. If our information is 

 correct it appears, therefore, that this bad netting season has resulted 

 in spite of a large increase in the stock of salmon. This apparently 

 contradictory state of matters might most usefully be inquired into 

 were it possible to examine data from this and other districts. 



There are twelve Salmon Fishery Districts from the Tweed to the 

 Spey inclusive, and the present assessable rentals of these amount 

 to £96,842. North of the Spey, still on the east coast, we have returns 

 from nine out of the thirteen districts. The Beauly, Alness, Dun- 

 beath. and Berriedale districts are not reported upon, but the rentals of 

 the remaining nine amount to £19,405, making a total for eighteen 

 districts on the east coast of £1 16,247. 



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