X 



Report on Salmon Fisheries. 



Inspections 

 during 1899. 



Number and 

 Cost of Fixed 

 Salmon Nets, 

 &c. 



District 

 Reports. 



Cruive with 

 " Mid-stream, 

 p. 74. 



The Re- 

 measuring of 

 Estuaries, 

 p. 78. 



Investigations 

 on Life- 

 History of 

 Salmon, p. 80. 



Receipts and 

 Expenditure 

 of District 

 Boards. 



Rateable Value 

 of Salmon 

 Fisheries. 



In those districts diseased fish are not counted. It may be remarked, 

 however, that both rivers were in a flooded state during practically 

 the whole autumn, and that in spite of this the disease appeared. 

 It reached its height in January. In the Spey, also, the percentage 

 of deaths from disease seems to have been comparatively small. 



In his annual tour of inspection, Mr. Calderwood visited 23 

 fishery districts of the West Highlands — viz., Awe, Lussa, Baa, 

 Shiel, Sligachan, Balgay, Torridon, Badachro, Ewe, Broom, Kirkaig, 

 Inver, Laxford, being districts fished on their coast lines by means 

 of bag nets ; and Creran, Penny gown, Sunart, Moidart, Aylort, 

 Morar, Kilchoan, Glenelg, Snizort, and Ullapool, being districts in 

 which fishing by means of bag nets is not practised. The object of 

 Mr. Calderwood's tour was to compare the one set of districts with 

 the other, and to study, as far as possible, the influence of bag-net 

 fishing upon the stock of fish. The results, which may be regarded 

 in a measure as an introduction to the larger subject of coast 

 salmon fishing in general, will be found in Appendix I. to Mr. 

 Calderwood's Annual Eeport (p. 15). Lists are given for the 

 first time of those carrying on the fishery in the various districts, 

 and of the number of nets employed. An estimate is also made of 

 the value of nets and boats, and of the working expenses. From 

 these lists it appears that the coast of Scotland is fished by 1945 

 fixed engines, representing a value of £143,900, and that this 

 branch of salmon fishing gives employment to 1352 men. 



Mr. Calderwood also inspected the Nith district, and in his 

 Annual Eeport he deals at some length with the difficulties in the 

 way of successfully developing the salmon fisheries of that district 

 and of the Solway generally. Two fish-passes in the neighbouring 

 river of Kirtle are also reported upon, as are points of interest 

 connected with the ascent of fish in the Cree, Ayr, Awe, and Balgay. 



Appendix II. contains the reports from Clerks of District Boards. 

 They take the usual form of answers to printed queries issued by 

 the Inspector of Salmon Fisheries. 



Appendix III. is a report by Mr. Calderwood on the existence of 

 a cruive with a " mid-stream " slap. This cruive the Inspector 

 considers of interest, as showing that the slap in cruive dykes, as in 

 dam dykes, required by all ancient Statutes, cannot be considered 

 as completely in disuetude in Scotland as has been held by the 

 Courts. 



Appendix IV. deals with the necessity of remeasuring the exact 

 limits of the estuary of the river Bervie, being correspondence 

 between the Clerk to the District Board and the Inspector of 

 Salmon Fisheries. The general subject of such remeasurements is 

 referred to in Mr. Calderwood's Annual Eeport. 



Appendix V. contains an account by Dr. D. Noel Paton and M. 

 I. Newbigin, D.Sc, of further investigations on the life-history of 

 the salmon, and renders more complete the researches on this 

 subject commenced a few years ago and previously published in the 

 Special Eeport of 1898. 



Eeceipts and expenditure of District Fishery Boards are given in 

 Appendix VI., and the rateable value of salmon fisheries in 

 Appendix VII. 



