of the Fishery Board for Scotland. 



257 



Protection— 



1. The assessable rental for 1912 was £17,990 9s. 



2. The assessment levied was 5-| per cent, thereon — yielding £989 9s. 5d. 



3. The water bailiffs employed are 22 in number, including the inspector — 5 



for whole year, 14 for 7 months, and 3 for two months in spawning 

 season. 



4. Particulars as to prosecutions instituted are briefly as follow : — There were 



six prosecutions against persons for breaches of the Salmon Fisheries 

 Acts, implicating seven men. Three of the cases were for setting nets 

 in the channel at Aberdeen, implicating three men ; one, for setting 

 lines in the river, one man. In the above four cases all were convicted 

 and fined from 10s. to £3 and expenses. One case, implicating two men, 

 for having smolts in their possession (settled out of Court). One case 

 for trespassing on the banks of the river and fishing without the 

 proprietor's permission (also settled out of Court). 



Obstructions to the Passage of Fish— 

 1. There are no dam dykes. 



4. Natural obstructions not yet dealt with are : — In the Feugh, at Banchory, 

 and in the Luie near Braemar. 



Pollutions— 



1. The existing pollutions are: — At Culter Paper Mills, about 8 miles up 



river, but gradually diminished since last report ; and sewage from 

 townships and farms on the banks of the upper river, which, on the 

 contrary, rather increases. 



2. Remedial measures : — The amount of sewage from Aberdeen City has been 



greatly diminished since the completion of the large main sewer which 

 discharges into the sea. 



The Salmon Disease— 



1. Disease made its appearance this year in the month of January, and 



reached its height in February. 

 The river was free of diseased fish in April, attributable to heavy flooding 

 in the river ; since then no disease apparent. 



2. The number of diseased fish taken from the river and destroyed was as 



follows : — ■ 



Males. Females. 

 Kelts, - .... 542 — 

 Clean, ----- 20 

 Some of the clean fish had evidently been crushed and destroyed by 

 floating ice. 



The Spawning Season— 



1. Fish were first noticed spawning on 10th October. 



2. The greatest number spawned in November and December. 



3. Spawning ceased practically in the first week of January. 



4. As regards numbers of breeding fish and state of the water, the past 



spawning season is regarded as above the average both for weight and 

 numbers, but the river ran too high, which prevented the spawning season 

 from being so successful as it would otherwise have been. 



Smolts— 



1. Smolts were noticed to be migrating seawards early in March. 



2. As a smolt year 1912 was a good average both for numbers and size. 



REPORT FROM DON DISTRICT (ABERDEENSHIRE). 



Take of Pish— 



1. The number of fish taken was : — 



(a) By fixed engine — Considerably below the average. 

 (6) By sweep net — Considei ably above the average, 

 (c) By rod and line— Above the average, but impossible to obtain 

 exact information as to numbers. 



