of the Fishery Board for Scotland. 



243 



Ness 



When, in November 1905, the application for an alteration of the rod 

 fishing season in this district came up, the removal of the nets in the river 

 Ness itself was largely bound up with the question. Every proprietor in the 

 district was approached, and it was stated that the Loch Ness Angling 

 Association had ascertained that the removal of the nets could not be carried 

 through unless a quid pro quo was secured in the form of additional spring 

 angling. It might almost have been said, I think, that although no 

 mention of the removal of nets appeared in the petition, the object of 

 seeking to secure a longer period of angling, and of commencing the 

 angling earlier in the spring, was in order to secure the removal of the 

 nets for the general improvement of the local salmon stock. 



The petition was granted, and the Ness nets were taken off. 



Last autumn a curious return to the use of the net-s has been insisted 

 upon by the Town of [nverness. The Friar's Shot, in the river, and the 

 Longman's Grave Shot, just outside the mouth of the river, have been let 

 to the Moray Firth Salmon Fishery Co., Ltd., on lease for five years, and 

 the lessees have been bound over to exercise the right of netting. The 

 Moray Firth Salmon Fishery Co. is composed of the local proprietors, who 

 desire by combined action to regulate the amount of salmon netting both 

 in the sea and rivers, but especially in the rivers of the wide area they 

 now control, with the object of conserving the stock of salmon. Colonel 

 Ross of Cromarty, who acts as the Secretary of the Company, made 

 a representation to the Municipal authorities of Inverness urging 

 them to abstain from insisting upon the working of the nets as most 

 detrimental to the general interests of the district, and in opposition to the 

 policy of his Company, who desire to keep nets out of rivers as far as 

 possible. He has furnished me with a copy of this statement, which deals 

 with the situation and shows the policy of the Company. 



Notwithstanding the representation made by the Moray Firth Salmon 

 Fishery Co., however, the fishings were let, as stated. 



I asked the Inverness authorities to be good enough to state the reason 

 which impelled them to insert this condition and to insist upon its inclusion, 

 and received a reply from the Town Clerk, the latter part of which runs as 

 follows : — 



" The majority of the Town Council, however, were of opinion that the 

 " non- fishing of the Friar'i^ Shot with net and coble did not improve the 

 " rod fishings in the river, and they also thought that the sight of salmon 

 fishers plying their craft on the river added to the picturesqueness of a 

 " town which has a position to maintain as a tourist resort. The Town 

 " Council accordingly by a majority stipulated that the tenant of the 

 " fishings should fish the Shot by means of net and coble — hence the 

 " stipulation in the lease." 



Unless the deductions of those who have made a careful study of salmon 

 fisheries, and the influence of netting the mouths of rivers, is entirely wrong, 

 there can be no doubt that the majority of the Town Council of Inverness 

 have made a mistake in forming the opinion that the removal of the net 

 from the Friar's Shot did not improve the rod fishings in the river. They 

 are entitled to do what they like with their own, and in the same way the 

 river at Dochfour, Fort Augustus, or Invergarry might with equal right be 

 netted as it once was. It is a pity, however, when Municipal authorities 

 or other proprietors act without regard to the interests of those vested 

 with equal rights of salmon fishing in the district. It is clear that even 

 the tenants who have taken the fishings considered that the best interests 

 of the district would be served by keeping the nets off, but that the Town 

 Council have insisted upon the net being used whether neighbouring 

 Q 



