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Appendices to Thirtieth Annual Report 



Protection— 



1. The assessable rental for 1911 was £184. 



2. The assessment levied was £184. 



3. The water bailiffs employed are two in number. During a part of the 



season an additional bailiff is employed on the lower reaches. 



4. Particulars as to prosecutions instituted are briefly as follow :--Two men 



were convicted of poaching and fined. 



Obstructions to the Passage of Fish— 



1. Dam dykes disused, built, or in prospect : — The dam dyke at Haugh, which 



consists of a double wooden barrier, is in a ruinous state, and forms a 

 very serious obstacle to the ascent of fish. The Board have called upon 

 the proprietors to conform to the bye-laws, but they have not yet decided 

 as to what is to be done regarding the matter. 



2. The bye-laws are generally observed. 



3. Fish passes built or in prospect : — The Board have called upon the pro- 



prietor of Barskimming Mill to provide the dam dyke there with suitable 

 pass. A pass has been placed in the lower of the two dykes at Ayr Mills 

 at the instigation of the Crown authorities, to whom the fishings at that 

 part belong. 



4. There are no natural obstructions. 



Pollutions— 



1. There are no pollutions. 



The Salmon Disease— 



1. Disease made its appearance this year in the months of July, August, and 



September. 



2. The number of diseased fish taken from the river and destroyed cannot 



be ascertained, but they would amount to about the average number. 



The Spawning Season— 



1. Fish were first noticed spawning in the first week in November. 



2. The greatest number spawned in December. 



3. Spawning ceased in the beginning of January. 



4. As regards numbers of breeding fish, and state of the water, the past 



spawning season is regarded as about the average. 



Smolts— 



1. Smolts were noticed to be migrating seawards in April and May. 



2. As a smolt year 1911 was very indifferent. 



REPORT FROM DOON DISTRICT. 



Take of Fish— 



1. As compared with previous years, the take of fish throughout the district 



was \rery much below the average ; this is accounted for entirely owing 

 to the dry state of the weather during the whole season. The river was 

 down at such a low level that fishing, unless for sea trout at night, was 

 impracticable. The sea fishings were let at the beginning of the season 

 for a period of six years. These fishings had not been let for the 

 previous five years. The tacksman, it is understood, had only a 

 very moderate season owing to unfavourable winds prevailing and the 

 presence of an abnormal amount of a fine seaweed which adhered to the 

 nets. No netting is permitted in the area between Blackburn rocks on 

 the north and Greenan Castle on the south, leaving a large area free of 

 netting in the vicinity of the course of the river. 



2. As many of the proprietors do not keep an accurate, or any record 



at all, of the times when and the actual number of fish caught, it is 

 impossible to give reliable information on the subject. Most of the 

 fish were caught in the closing days of the season. The first spring fish 

 was killed on 6th March. It was taken by minnow in the tidal waters. 



