Report on Salmon Fisheries. 



xi 



With regard to salmon disease in 1896 it is reported from the Salmon 



Disea~~ 

 1896. 



Forth that 1033 fish succumbed as against 857 in the previous year ; D 



from the Tay, that it was not so bad as formerly ; from the South 

 Esk, that 279 fish were taken oat of the river, or an increase of 95 

 on the previous year ; from the North Esk, that the number was 

 175 as against 700 in 1895 ; that 700 were taken out of the Dee, 

 and 38 out of the Don, whereas no diseased fish were taken 

 in these rivers in 1895 ; that there were removed from the Ythan, 

 467 fish, from the Ugie, 42, and from the Deveron, 340 The dis- 

 ease showed itself slightly in the Helmsdale, Brora, and Nith ; 

 while from the Annan, 264 diseased fish were removed. 



During 1896, by the direction of the Board, Mr Archer inspected inspections 

 the river and sea-coast salmon fisheries of Ayrshire and Wigtown- durin s 1896 - 

 shire. He visited the rivers Endrick and Luss, which flow into Loch 

 Lomond, and the river Cassley in Sutherlandshire, for the purpose of 

 recommending how the waters above the obstructions on those rivers 

 might be made accessible to salmon. He further visited the river 

 Spey in November last for the purpose of assisting in marking 

 salmon with the view of gaining more accurate knowledge as to their 

 habits. In his Eeporfc to the Board, which is given on p. 1 of the 

 Appendices to this Eeport, he describes his inspections, and indi- 

 cates by means of red lines on a map, appended to this Eeport, the 

 approximate number and position of the fixed nets on the west 

 coast of Ayrshire and Wigtownshire. By his inspection of the 

 fishings on this coast he has completed a survey of the sea-coast 

 salmon fishings of Scotland between Berwick-on-Tweed and the 

 Mull of Galloway in Wigtownshire. Those on the west and east 

 coasts were described in his Eeports to the Board for the years 1894 

 and 1895 respectively. 



The Eoyal Commission on the Tweed and Solway issued their Ee- ^^jf^eed" 

 port last year. The Eeport is in two parts. The first relates to the a nd Solway. 6 

 Tweed, the second to the Solway. This Commission was appointed 

 in 1895 ' to inquire into the salmon and fresh water fisheries of 

 1 the mouth and entrance of the Tweed, including the tributaries of 

 ' that river, and all the portion of the sea comprised within the 

 ' area of the present Tweed Acts, and the method of fishing therein 

 1 used, the rights affecting the said fisheries, and the laws applying 

 ' thereto, and the operation of such laws ; and also into the fisheries 

 ' of the Solway Firth, with the rights affecting the same, the 

 ' methods of fishing there used, together with the laws applying to 

 ' the said fisheries, and also the operation of the Solway Act and 

 ' other statutes relating to the fisheries of the Solway, and to report 

 ' thereon and make such recommendations relating thereto as they 

 ' may think fit/ 



In Note III. of the Appendices a list is given of the dates of the Annual Close 

 commencement and termination of the annual close time for net Tlme * 

 and rod fishings respectively, applicable to the salmon rivers in 

 Scotland. 



In Note IV. of the Appendices will be found a list of Chairmen List of chair- 

 and Clerks of Salmon Fishery District Boards in Scotland with ™£g&!it* Tks 

 their addresses. It is satisfactory to note that during 1896 a Boards. 



