Fishery Board for Scotland. 



Ixxix 



A Summary of the Number of Boxes of Salmon received at 

 Billiogsgate Market from Scotland, during the year 1885. 



Week ending 



No. of Boxes. 



Week ending 



No. of Boxes. 



Feby. 7, 



„ 14, . 



„ 21, . . 



„ 28, . . 

 March 7, 



„ 14, . . 



„ 21, . . 



„. 28, . . 

 Aiiril 4. 



62 

 234 

 386 

 197 

 290 

 175 

 254 

 268 

 347 



Brought forward, 

 June 13, 



„ 20, . . 



„ 27, . . 

 July 4, 



„ 11, . 



„ 18, . . 



„ 25, . . 

 Auffust 1, 



6681 

 622 

 863 

 1323 

 1800 

 2202 

 2438 

 2630 

 2436 





„ 11, . . 



„ 18, . 



„ 25, . . 



May 2, 



311 

 414 

 513 

 597 

 581 





„ 8, 

 „ 15, 

 „ 22, 

 „ 29, 

 Sept. 5, 

 „ 12, 

 „ 19, 

 „ 26, 







2645 

 3192 

 1811 

 1009 

 413 

 249 

 22 

 26 







„ 9, . . 

 „ 16, . . 

 „ 23, . 

 „ 30, . . 



June 6, 



516 

 637 

 456 

 543 

















Total, 





30,362 



















(Jarry torward. 









An attentive observation of the above table will show that the 

 fishing in the close of the season was unusually good, nearly two- 

 thirds of the salmon captured having been taken during the 

 months of July and August ; the best week was that ending on 

 the 15th August, when no fewer than 3192 boxes were received 

 at Billingsgate, or more than a tenth of the whole number for the 

 year. Taking the number of boxes sent to London for 1885 at 

 30,362, and adding one-third for the consumption in Scotland and 

 for salmon sent elsewhere out of the country, the value of the 

 whole take may be estimated at £323,851. 



A great number of large salmon were captured during 1885 both Large Salmon 

 by net and rod. On the Tay, salmon of 56 lbs., 55 lbs., 54 lbs., 53 of 1885. 

 lbs., 52 lbs., 51 J lbs., 50 lbs., and 49 lbs. were taken by the nets, and 

 a very large number between the last mentioned weight and 30 lbs. 

 More than 50 salmon, averaging 45 lbs. each, are estimated to have 

 been taken during the month of August. The largest fish taken 

 by the rod was captured on the Stobhall water, and weighed 

 47 lbs. ; but a great number were caught by anglers on various 

 stretches of the river upwards of 30 lbs. weight. On the Forth the 

 largest salmon netted weighed 47 lbs., and the two largest captured 

 by the rod weighed 38 lbs. and 36 lbs. A great number of fine 

 salmon were taken on the Aberdeenshire Dee, which yielded the 

 largest fish of the season to the rod, weighing 57 lbs. It was 

 captured by the keeper on the Ardoe water. 



No fewer than 6000 fish are said to have been taken by the Rod Fishing 

 rod on the Aberdeenshire Dee during the season of 1885 ; and when ^^e and'' 

 it is considered that at least 10,000 fish were taken by anglers 

 in the course of the two previous seasonr,, it may be doubted 

 whether any salmon river in Europe can show a better return. On 

 the Tweed, although we have no accurate returns, there seems little 

 doubt that at least 4000 fish have been captured by the rod, and 



