of the Fishery Board for Scotland. 



19 



4. No information of a reliable kind on these points. 



5. (a) 38 lbs,; (h) 43 lbs. ; (c) 26 lbs. 



Protection — 



1. £3,429 18s. lid. 



2. 23 per cent, on above assessable rental. 



3. Sixteen bailiflfe, besides inspector. 



4. Ten different prosecutions, implicating 20 individuals, 15 of whom con- 



victed, and 5 not proven. Having poaching implements or foul fish in 

 their possession. Fines from £2 to £5, with option of imprisonment 

 for 7 to 30 days. The fines paid in one case ; others went to prison. 



Obstructions to the Passage of Fish — 



1. No dams destroyed or given up, nor have any new dams been built or 



old dams. altered. 



2. The cruives are worked in accordance with the bye-laws. 



3. None. 



4. Fish can always ascend when river is high ; but at Mugiemoss and 



Waterton Mill Dykes, ascent at lew water is impossible. 



5. None. 



6. None. 



Pollutions — 



1. No fresh causes of pollution, but existing sources are yearly increasing. 



2. One source of pollution from the Great North Railway's creosote works at 



Dyce put a stop to in 1898. The Town Council and the District Com- 

 mittee of the County Council were called upon as sanitary authorities 

 to put a stop to the pollution finding its way into the river from sources 

 within their respective areas, and no result having followed, the matter 

 was reported to the Secretary for Scotland, by whom representations 

 on the subject have been made to both these bodies. It is believed 

 that there are now fair prospects of a comprehensive scheme being 

 entered into by the Town Council, the District Committee, and the 

 mill owners for dealing with the entire pollution at present being dis- 

 charged into the river. 



The Salmon Disease — 



1. Only to a limited extent. First appearance oji 15th October, and worst 



about end of January. 



2. 10 to 12 inches above ordinary level. 



3. One male and one female fish, 15th October. Two male and two female 



2nd November, and 8 male and 11 female fish in December. About 

 one half of these kelts. No clean fish showing signs of disease. 



4. The comparative absence of disease is believed to be due to the fact that 



river was high during the greater part of the winter. 



The Spawning Season — 



1. 5th November. 



2. Between 15th and 3 1st December. 



3. About 31st January. 



4. 10 to 12 inches above normal level. 



5. More than usual. 



6. Principal spawning grounds in upper district, particularly Alford and 



Kildrummy. 



Kelts— 



1. About the end of March. 



2. About the middle of April. 



3. Never quite free, but most free at end of June. 



4. Normal. 



Smolts — 



1. Middle of April. 



2. Fairly good. 



Artificial Propagation of Salmon — 



Small hatchery at Fish Street, capable of receiving 60,000 ova. Ova 

 actually put in 1898, 55,000, of which over 40,000 were hatched, and 

 put half into the Pee and half into the Don, TC'tb 18 miles abofi 

 Aberdeen. 



