of the Fishery Board for Scotland. 



5 



tion in opening up the various spawning streams connected with the 

 loch. By the direction of the Board, and at the request of Colonel 

 Blackburn of Killearn, and of Mr Alfred Brown, secretary of the Associa- 

 tion, I visited the fall at Gartness on the river Endrick, and a mill dam 

 on the river Luss, for the purpose of advising them as to the construction 

 of fish-passes. The fall at Gartness is said to exclude salmon from 12 

 miles of good spawning grounds, while the mill dam on the Luss, 

 which is situated within a short distance of Loch Lomond, practically 

 shuts them off entirely from the spawning grounds in the latter stream. 

 It would undoubtedly tend greatly to the increase of salmon and sea trout 

 in Loch Lomond if these obstructions were opened up. Hitherto, how- 

 ever, it has not been found possible to raise sufficient funds to carry out 

 the plans I suggested for the purpose. 



I am informed by Mr Alfred Brown that the Association has leased 

 the salmon fishings on the river Leven and on Loch Lomond (so far as 

 possessed on the loch by the Colquhoun Trustees), and has abolished 

 netting in these waters. Arrangements have also been entered into with 

 the lessees of the salmon fishings on the Clyde between Dumbarton, 

 Cardross, and Ardmore, to limit netting to four and a half days a week, 

 and to maintain an efficient superintendence during the weekly and annual 

 close times. The Association has further appointed a staff of water- 

 bailiffs to put down illegal fishing during the open season, and to assist 

 in protecting the spawning fish in the tributary streams during the 

 close season, and has thrown open to the public, free of charge, the 

 whole of the waters over which it has acquired the right of salmon 

 fishing, under certain conditions as to fair fishing. 



In my Report last year, I mentioned that the Kyle of Sutherland Board Kyle of 

 had made an unsuccessful attempt to open up fresh spawning grounds in Sutherland, 

 their district by blasting the Glenmuick Falls on the river Cassley, and 

 had asked me to advise them in the matter. By the direction of the 

 Fishery Board, I inspected these falls during last summer, and sub- 

 sequently forwarded drawings to the Clerk of the District Board, showing 

 how they might be made accessible to salmon. 



The case as to the cruive dyke on the' river Deveron, referred to in River Deveron 

 my last year's Report, was decided by the Court of Session on the 23rd 

 February last. It had reference to the powers of the Commissioners 

 appointed under the Act of 1862 to make regulations with respect to the 

 construction and use of cruives held under Royal Grant or Charter. By 

 the 6th section of the Salmon Fisheries (Scotland) Act, 1862, power was 

 given to the Commissioners appointed under that Act " to make general 

 'regulations'' with respect "to the construction and use of cruives," 

 but this power is subject to the important qualification " that such 

 \ regulations shall not interfere with any rights held, at the time of 

 ' the passing of this Act, under Royal Grant or Charter, or possessed for 

 ' time immemorial." The principal questions in this case were whether 

 the proprietor, who held his right to the cruive dyke under Royal Charter, 

 was entitled to maintain and to continue to use the cruives at a width of 

 not more than an ell or 37 inches each, as fixed by previous decrees of the 

 Court, or whether he was bound, in conformity with the Commissioners' 

 bye-law (Schedule F., 31 <& 32 Vict. cap. 123), to increase the width to 

 not less than four feet. The Court decided that the cruives should be 

 widened to four feet, and gave judgment in favour of the District Board, 

 with expenses. 



In November last I visited the district of the river Spey, where the River Spey. 

 marking of salmon is being continued with much interest, with the view 

 of recommending an improved system of weighing and measuring the 



