4 



Appendices to Ttventy-sixth Annual Report 



ing water expressly for the benefit of the fisheries. A great 

 amount of water must at present run to waste. 



If, as I believe to be the case, the fishing value of Loch 

 Vennacher and the Vennacher Water is for ever impaired by the 

 abstraction of water to Glasgow, and the value of the Teith also 

 impaired by the lack of water from a former important source, it 

 may still be possible to restore the Teith to its former value by 

 increasing the water supply from Loch Lubnaig, and in so doing 

 to improve the fishings also of the Leny and Loch Lubnaig and 

 higher lochs. Not only would sporting capabilities and values be 

 certainly increased, but improved facilities for the distribution of 

 spawning fish brought about. 



Clean spring fish already run the Pass of Leny early. Reports 

 show that three were caught on the opening day (15th January) 

 of the present season, and that before the end of the month four 

 had been caught in Loch Lubnaig, showing that the temperature 

 of the river was sufficiently high to induce fish to ascend. 



An increase to the Jjquj water would increase to some extent 

 the drawing power of the river as compared with the stream from 

 Loch Vennacher, and might, therefore, be regarded as to some 

 extent a condition adverse to the latter, but the ascent and the 

 angling value of the fish in the whole of the Teith would be 

 improved. 



In this connection it might be necessary to deal to some extent 

 with the Falls of Leny. These falls have two channels separated 

 by a rocky island. The channel at the right bank is quite pre- 

 cipitous, but the channel by the left bank, although rocky and 

 broken, is not impassable to fish. In cold winters, or perhaps 

 more accurately after cold autumns, fish will not ascend the fall 

 with any freedom. To reduce the gradient of the left channel and 

 to blast or remove two or three of the worst rocks would result 

 in fish ascending at an earlier date and at more frequent periods ; 

 but before any alterations were decided upon it would be well to 

 study carefully the effects of increased water flow. 



From information kindly supplied me by Mr. Welsh, through 

 the District Superintendent, it appears that without doubt a very 

 considerable number of salmon must in favourable winters ascend 

 the Leny. As frequently happens, however, the salmon fishing in 

 Loch Lubnaig is only successful during the early part of the year. 

 This does not mean that fish do not ascend to the loch in summer 

 and autumn, but that spring is the only season, in the majority of 

 cases — vide Loch Lochy, referred to in this report — in which salmon 

 yield sport to the angler. 



With reference to the increase in the stock of fish, it cannot, of 

 course, be overlooked that other conditions enter largely into the 

 question. These are chiefly the netting of the lower river and 

 estuary, and the pollutions at Stirling and elsewhere. The netting 

 has, however, been to some extent reduced in the Forth district, 

 and the cruives have been opened. An additional water flow, in 

 the form of an artificial flood when desirable, would accelerate the 

 ascent of fish which have entered the estuary, would increase the 

 rising propensities of the fish, and would at the same time dilute 

 the pollutions at the very time they are most seriously felt. 



