XX 



Thirty-eighth Annual Beport 



their normal patrol duties, detected 11 of the cases, and the remaining 

 5 detections were made 'by fishermen. In one of the cases brought 

 to trial the verdict was " Not proven." 



The IpcaHty in which the greatest number of cases occurred was 

 the Moray Firth where there were 9 detections. Next in order came 

 the Firth of Clyde waters with 4, the Solway Firth with 2, and the 

 Outer Hebrides with 1. 



Improvements of Fishery Harbours. 



A report for the year by the Board's Consulting Engineer on work 

 on improvement schemes for fishery harbours is printed as Appendix I. 

 p. 1. 



PART II. 



SALMON FISHEKIES. 



The total weight of salmon and sea trout carried by rail and sea 

 in Scotland in 1919 was 1802 tons 19 cwt. While this figure is 234 

 tons better than the total for the preceding year, and 151 tons above 

 the figure representing the last quinquennial average, it has to be 

 regarded as a distinctly low one in view of the possibilities of the 

 Scottish Salmon Fisheries. It is now possible to compare five quin- 

 qennial averages, viz., 2771, 2034, 1865, 2056, and 1651 tons, 

 and the downward tendency of these figures reveals a condition 

 which cannot be regarded as satisfactory. The returns from which 

 these averages are made are supplied from the same source and in 

 the same manner. They are not, unfortunately, returns showing 

 the numbers of fish caught, or the number of fish sent to market, but 

 merely the weight of fish carried to market. During last season, 

 grilse and sea trout were more numerous than for a few years, but a 

 considerable increase in the number of those light fish is not readily 

 reflected in a return of weight. We are unable to state, therefore, 

 what proportion of the rise in total may be attributed to adult) salmon. 

 The fluctuations of the return, for the four usual divisions of 

 the coast, are set forth in the accompanying chart of curves. 

 This return is for 26 years, and the details of the five averages together 

 with the figures for 1919 are given in the form of a table. A chart 

 showing graphically the curve for the averages, and the last season's 

 return, will be found in the report of the Inspector of Salmon Fisheries 

 (p. 63). 



[Table 



