REPORT. 



I have the honour to submit my Annual Report to the Fishery Board 

 for Scotland for the year 1896. 



In my Reports to the Board for the years 1894 and 1895 I Inspections of 

 described the salmon fishing industry on the east, north, and west coasts gjj^jjj 8 * 

 of Scotland, and indicated graphically on maps appended to those Re- Fishings, 

 ports the approximate number and position of the fixed nets in use. 

 During 1896, by the direction of the Board, I completed my inspection 

 of the salmon fishing stations on the sea coast by visiting those situated 

 between Ardlamont Point in Argyllshire and the Mull of Galloway in 

 Wigtownshire. 



Following the method adopted last year for giving a general idea of the Map of South- 

 extent of this industry, I have divided the coast line from Ardlamont West Coast, 

 Point to the Mull of Galloway, in the map accompanying this Report, into approximate 

 5-mile sections by means of black lines, and have indicated by red lines Number of 

 drawn parallel with the coast the approximate number of fixed nets in Nets in use - 

 each section. One red line denotes less than five nets, and every addi- 

 tional red line five or part of five additional nets. 



The conditions under which the bag-nets are used on this part of the coast Number of 

 resemble more nearly those prevailing on the east coast in respect of the Nets and Cost 

 number of men required to work a given number of nets, and those of Fismn S- 

 obtaining on the west coast in respect of the length of time during which 

 the full staff of fishermen is employed. Subject to the qualifications men- 

 tioned in my previous Reports, referred to above, the following esti- 

 mate as to the cost of fishing and the number of persons employed 

 may be made : — A pair of bag-nets — that is, one in use and one on the 

 shore to change from time to time — cost, on an average, £33 ; one-third 

 as much again is spent annually to keep them in fishing order ; 

 and four men at an average weekly wage of 22s., together with a boat 

 costing £17, 6s. 6d., are required to work every seven nets. If this esti- 

 mate is correct, and if the 97 bag-nets erected on the west coasts of 

 Ayrshire and Wigtownshire in the month of July are fished on an average 

 during four and a half months of the year, the capital invested in these 

 fishings would be, in round numbers, £3500, the annual expenditure 

 £2500, and the number of fishermen employed about 60. 



In the Solway Firth, eastward of the Mull of Galloway, no fixed nets Nets in 

 are allowed, except such as were granted certificates of privilege Solway. 

 by the Special Commissioners appointed in 1877 to carry out the 

 Act 40 & 41 Vict. cap. 240. Seeing that the number of these engines 

 is scheduled, and the position where they may be used laid down, I 

 have not thought it necessary to indicate their approximate number and 

 position on the map accompanying this Report. It may, however, be 

 mentioned that about 53 fixed nets and eight ranges of poke-nets have 

 been fished during recent years on these shores. 



Besides inspecting the sea coast fishings, I visited the rivers of Ayr- 

 shire and Wigtownshire. 

 B 



