of the Fishery Board for Scotland. 



13 



Hebrides, of sending down artificial floods at suitable times so as to 

 induce waiting fish to leave the sea for the fresh water. Mill Bay, into 

 which the burn flows, is reported to be much frequented by sea trout. I 

 certainly noticed a most unusual number of seals swimming shorewards 

 and disporting themselves as if chasing fish as the tide rose, a sign that in 

 all probability sea trout are usually to be found here in numbers. 



Pegel Burn, further west, has a more rocky bed than the others 

 mentioned. The flow of water at the mouth has again been wisely 

 concentrated. We have here, however, a rather serious natural obstruc- 

 tion in the form of two waterfalls close together, about half a mile up 

 stream, near where a bridge is, I believe, to be constructed as part of a 

 new road traversing the island. The lower fall I estimated as about five 

 feet in height, the upper fall seven feet. Both were, at the time of my 

 visit, practically impassable to ascending fish. I took careful notes on 

 the formation of each fall and subsequently had an opportunity of 

 suggesting to the proprietor and his ground officer the most convenient 

 way, in my opinion, of enabling fish to overcome them. My suggestions 

 have since, I understand, been carried out. 



Fish do not ascend the streams of Hoy till late in the season, but 

 successful angling may be practised in the salt water, more especially in 

 the bays into which the streams flow. In Hoy the angler is granted the 

 fullest freedom, the usual application for leave being sufficient to obtain the 

 privilege, but the proprietor expects each angler to supply him with a 

 return of the fish caught. It may, I think, be fairly anticipated that the 

 improvements carried out in the streams, and the protection against 

 improper methods of fishing, will presently secure to the island a consider- 

 ably increased stock of sea trout. 



Lochs Stmness and Harray. — I referred to these famous lochs in the 

 Nineteenth Annual Report, as well as to the difficulties which beset the 

 formation in Orkney of a district Fishery Board. No change has, in the 

 interval, manifested itself, although an important special reference to the 

 district is to be found in the Report of the Royal Commission on Salmon 

 Fisheries. 



There are ten or eleven people, six of whom are proprietors of land 

 touching the shores of one or other loch, who systematically carry on 

 the fishing which has been the means of so much destruction in the past, 

 and which so long as it continues will effectually prevent their resuscita- 

 tion. 



During my visit of 1902 I went all round these lochs, and by means of a 

 boat had an opportunity of examining some of the nets then in use in Loch 

 Harray. I did not see otters or set lines in use, although I am aware that 

 these have been freely used in the past. The nets set at the time of my visit 

 were simple trammels of very fine material, corked on the head line, leaded 

 on the ground rope, and moored by means of large stones. The length of 

 the net was commonly about 60 to 70 yards. The meshes measured, by 

 me, from knot to knot (square mesh) varied from 1^ inch to 1 J inch. The 

 nets were set either at right angles to the shore, or along shallows and 

 and other suitable places at a distance from the shore. The fishing for 

 the market is carried on from about 1st March till about 11th or 12th 

 September. The netting seems to be practised more in Loch Harray 

 than in Loch Stenness, one or two succesful prosecutions having been 

 secured against those fishing in the latter. 



Shetland. 



A very considerable amount of netting is also practised in Shetland. 

 So far as I have been able to learn, this netting is not carried on in fresh 



