of the Fishery Board for Seotland. 



3 



on one occasion, when he visited the river many years ago, all the fish 

 — even eels — between the pits and the sea were destroyed by a discharge 

 from the Carnaham coal-pits. Again, in 1889, he mentions; that about 150 

 fish were destroyed by pollution discharged from one of the pits of the 

 Dalmellington. Iron Company. Lastly, in 1893, an escape of pollution 

 occurred on two separate occasions, and upwards of 500 fish were taken 

 out of the river in a dead or dying condition. Matters, it is stated, are 

 now much improved, although they are not yet all that can be desired. 

 The liquid which escapes into the river from the settling-tank at Skeldon 

 where there are mills for the manufacture of blankets, is still much 

 complained of. It is not supposed actually to poison the fish, but to 

 sicken them so that they will not rise to the fly, and the rod fishing is 

 said to have fallen off very much in consequence. An engineer is being 

 consulted as to the best means of dealing with this pollution. 



There are seven mill dams on the river, but, with one exception, they 

 are not regulated in accordance with the bye-law Schedule G., 31 & 32 

 Vict. cap. 123. 



It also appears that full advantage is not taken of the excep- 

 tional opportunities which Loch Doon affords for the storage of a large 

 quantity of compensation water. The area of Loch Doon is fully 1240 

 acres, and at its outlet channels have been cut through the rock and 

 sluices constructed, whereby the outflow can be controlled and regulated. 

 The depth of the channels allows of 16 feet of water being drawn off the 

 surface of the loch. This gives a storage of over 864^ million cubic feet 

 or a flow of 6600 cubic feet a minute for three months in the year, 

 in addition to the natural flow of the river. The advantage to the 

 fisheries of paying careful attention to the proper management of these 

 sluices cannot be too strongly impressed on the proprietors. The sluices 

 should be so regulated as to maintain an equable flow of water in dry 

 weather, and thus lessen the injurious effects arising from the quick 

 discharge of surface-water under the present system of land drainage. 



In the Girvan district but little interest seems to be taken in the River Girvan. 

 salmon fishings. A Board has been formed, but it holds no meet- 

 ings, employs no staff, and raises no funds for the purpose of en- 

 forcing the Salmon Fishery Acts. The protection of the river fishings is 

 left to the keepers on the different estates. This arrangement, however, 

 is said not to work satisfactorily, as, at the time when salmon are in the 

 river, the keepers are fully occupied with their duties in connection 

 with the shootings, and consequently illegal fishing is prevalent. In 

 addition to illegal fishing during the annual close season, it is complained 

 that the district is overfished during the open season. At present fixed 

 nets on the sea coast are permitted, and placed within 300 yards of the 

 mouth of the river, and draft-nets are used in the river itself. I was 

 informed by a tacksman of some of the fixed net fishings on the coast 

 that, some years ago, when, by agreement among the proprietors, fixed 

 nets were placed at a distance of 600 yards from the mouth of the 

 river, and netting in the river discontinued, there were many more 

 salmon caught on the coast than there have been since these restric- 

 tions were given up. This evidence as to the effect of prohibiting netting 

 in confined waters agrees with that given on page 83 of the Thirteenth, 

 and pages 7 and 8 of the Fourteenth, Annual Reports, of the Board. 

 The fishings in this district merit more attention than they are at present 

 receiving. 



The Stinchar is an ideal small salmon river. Its bed is of fine gravel, River Stinchar. 

 most suitable for spawning, while pool and rapid stream follow one 

 another in close succession. It is about 29 miles long, drains an area 



