of the Fishery Board for Scotland. 



53 



while the Scottish Board of Health are obtaining similar information 

 through the local authorities. 



3. Water Powek. 



The Board are charged with the general superintendence of the 

 salmon fisheries of Scotland, and in the interests of the conservation 

 of the stock of fish schemes for the utilisation of the water power 

 resources of Scotland are kept under close observation. Attention 

 has been directed to the great extent and potential value of these 

 resources in the Keports of the Water Power Resources Committee. 



During 1921, in connection with the Lochaber Water Power 

 Scheme, a meeting wa3 held on 30 th March in the Board's Offices 

 between representatives of the promoters and of the salmon fishery 

 interests concerned with the view of arranging or facilitating an 

 agreement as to the measures necessary for the protection of the 

 fishings. An agreement was not reached on that occasion, but the 

 conflicting interests were subsequently adjusted and the scheme 

 received the sanction of Parliament. 



4. Salmon Research. 



During the summer of 1921 salmon marking and measuring 

 operations were conducted in the sea at Talmine, at the entrance to 

 the Kyle of Tongue in North Sutherland, but on grounds of economy 

 it has now been found necessary to discontinue this branch of 

 research. 



Scale reading operations also, which were conducted in Scotland 

 by the Board's staff and which embraced the examination of scales 

 from both the English and Irish Fishery Departments, have for the 

 same reason been considerably curtailed. A large amount of 

 material was collected from seven districts in Scotland, and is being 

 worked up as opportunity offers with the reduced staff available. 



In June 1921 an extraordinary mortality among salmon and 

 trout in the North Esk was reported to the Board, who immediately 

 set on foot an investigation as to the cause. The fish were apparently 

 suffocated by a jelly-like organism identified as Phceocrystis ponchetti 

 which was present in enormous quantities in the water, but the 

 reason for the peculiar concentration of the substance at Montrose 

 could not be ascertained. 



We have the honour to be, 



Sir, 



Your most obedient Servants, 



DAVID T. JONES, Chairman. 



W. LYON MACKENZIE, Deputy-Chairman. 



DARCY W. THOMPSON. 



JOHN H. IRVIN. 



MALCOLM SMITH. 



GEORGE HALL. 



WILLIAM MILLER. 



GEO. HOGARTH, Assistant Secretary. 



