66 Appendices to Twenty -first Ammud Report 



Summary of Results : — 



By H.M.S. "Jackal," 61 Nets, of which 4 were at fault. 

 „ F.C. "Brenda,"' 97 30 



„ F.C. "Vigilant," 132 „ ,, 105 

 „ F.C. "Norna," 50 ,, „ 8 



Total, - 340 ,, ,, 147 



Owing to the unfortunate fog on the east coast of Scotland already 

 referred to, which took place on Saturday and Sunday (28th and 29th 

 June), the two days fixed for the simultaneous investigation ao to the 

 observance of weekly close time, a comparatively small number of coast 

 nets could with safety be examined. The section of the coast set apart for 

 the Fishery cruiser " Minna," which had to be omitted, was unfortunately 

 the section of the East Coast upon which salmon nets are most thickly 

 placed. On this account, instead of having particulars of over 600 nets, 

 I am only able to report upon the above 340. 



With regard to the West Coast nets, the totals obtained by myself on 

 board the "Vigilant " are particularly striking. The 76 nets of Skye and 

 the 18 nets of Raasay, i.e. the 94 nets in this district which are fished by 

 a single tacksman, were all found fishing during the weekly close time. 

 On the other hand, all the nets of Loch Torridon were found in order, 

 with leaders removed. With regard to the weather on the AVest Coast, 

 it may be further said that at sunset on the Saturday the breeze, reported 

 as of Force 1-2 at 6 p.m., and which subsequently had rather freshened, 

 fell away entirely, so that before we had reached Armadale Bay the sea 

 was without either ripple or swell. Reaching Balmacara as darkness set 

 in — the short darkness of June in these latitudes — we anchored till 4 

 a.m., and again proceeded northwards under the same absolutely still con- 

 ditions of atmosphere. During the whole of Sunday, 29th June, the sea 

 remained glassy, and the sun shone hotly from an absolutely cloudless 

 sky. Yet under such conditions no attempt had been made to observe the 

 weekly close time by the removal of the leaders. 



A week previous to the examination above referred to I happened to be 

 at Portree, and took the opportunity of ascertaining the condition of the 

 nets in the immediate vicinity. A quotation from my note-book may 

 be not out of place, since it expresses exactly what I then found. 



"Sat., 2\st June, 1902. — At 10 p.m. rowed out of Portree Harbour 

 "in small dingey and visited four bag nets in bay immediately to the 

 " north. The leader of each net w^as in position. Surface of sea 

 " perfectly calm — not sufficient swell to cause even a ripple on the beach. 

 " The conditions were practically the same at 6 o'clock." 



This, and similar observations I have previously made, leads one towards 

 the opinion, which is freely expressed by some, that in the Skye and 

 Raasay District the weekly close time is never observed. 



I desire to mention, however, that during the previous summer I had 

 an opportunity of inspecting a large number of bag nets in the Pentland 

 Pirth, and found only four contravening the bye-law. 



A month later (July 1902), when in Fifeshire, I took the opportunity 

 of ascertaining the conditions on the coast between Pittenweem and 

 Newark, i.e. at a part of the coast where the report by Captain Angus of 

 the " Brenda " shows the weekly close time was not observed at the time 

 of his investigation. On this occasion — 20th July — I am glad to be able 

 to report that I found no leaders in the water. From information 

 received I am given to understand that the visit of the cruiser had not 

 been unremarked. These nets are far removed from the mouth of any 

 river. The same may be said with reference to the nets which line the 



