of the Fishery Board for Scotland. 



31 



below the fall. Above the fall, there is at least a mile of magnificent 

 gravelly spawning beds. These were quite covered with water when 

 I visited them, even after the prolonged drought of an exceptionally 

 dry season, so that they would always be available for breeding 

 purposes. 



Lochs near Riconich opened icp. — There is, not far from Riconich, 

 a chain of fresh-water lochs connected with Loch Laxford, but the 

 channel which connects them used to bo very much impeded and 

 choked up. Some years ago, I recommended its being cleared out. 

 This has now been done and a number of sea-trout have since been 

 caught in these lochs. 



Excellence of Sea-Fishing near Riconich. — The sea- fishing in Loch 

 Inehard and elsewhere in the neighbourhood of Riconich is excellent, 

 and I met a gentleman there who had a nice well-manned sailing 

 boat for the purpose of prosecuting it. He was very successful and 

 brought in some splendid cod to the hotel. By the people in the 

 neighbourhood, however, this valuable industry seems to be much 

 neglected. 



Rag-net Fishings between Inshore near Riconich and Lochinver. — There 

 are valuable bag-net fishings on the west coast of Sutherland, between 

 these two places, which are let to Mr Speedie of Perth. The following 

 is a return of their produce during the fishing seasons of 1885, 188G, and 

 1887 :— 



Return by Messrs Speedie, of the Salmon Bag-net Fishings, at the follow- 

 ing Stations in the Scourie Management, for the Fishing Seasons of 

 1885, 1886, and 1887:— 



Stations. 



Salmon. 



Grilse. 



Trout. 



Season 1885. 

 Clachtoll, .... 



Raffin, 



Culkein, .... 

 Oldney, .... 

 Scourie, .... 

 Fanagmore, .... 

 Oldshoremorc, 



No. 

 304 

 82 

 94 

 82 

 20 

 19 

 78 



lbs. 



3,515 

 977 



1,123 

 988 

 241 

 230 

 973 



No. 



2,792 

 884 



1,066 

 882 

 631 

 393 



1,725 



lbs. 

 15,211 



4,836 

 5,812 

 4,842 

 3,235 

 2,160 

 9,441 



No. 

 47 

 32 

 44 

 24 

 35 

 17 

 15 



lbs. 

 94 

 64 

 88 

 48 

 70 

 34 

 30 



Total, 



679 



8,047 



8,373 



45,537 



214 



428 



Season 1886. 

 Clachtoll, .... 



Raffin, 



Culkein, .... 

 Oldney, .... 

 Scourie, .... 

 Fanagmore, ..... 

 Oldshoremorc, 



435 

 104 

 110 

 95 

 14 

 9 



116 



5,055 

 1,322 

 1,276 

 1,166 

 192 

 122 

 1,460 



2,189 

 652 

 876 

 578 

 248 

 183 



1,219 



11,200 

 3,374 

 4,507 

 2,875 

 1,289 

 964 

 6,201 



54 

 40 

 37 

 27 

 10 

 12 

 11 



111 



90 

 74 

 54 

 20 

 24 

 22 



Total, 



883 



10,593 



5,945 



30,410 



191 



395 



Season 1877. 

 Clachtoll, .... 

 Raffin, . . 

 Culkein, . 



Oldney, .... 

 Scourie, .... 

 Fanagmore, .... 

 Oldshoremorc, 



634 

 110 

 101 

 91 

 10 

 10 

 94 



7,078 

 1,296 

 1,200 

 1,112 

 127 

 129 

 1,213 



2,929 

 911 

 667 

 574 

 349 

 207 



1,160 



15,046 

 4,759 

 3,425 

 2,988 

 1,884 

 1,025 

 6,258 



77 



69 

 59 

 49 

 26 

 31 

 27 



154 

 138 

 120 

 98 

 52 

 62 

 54 



Total, 



1,050 



12,155 



6,797 



35,385 



338 



678 



