of the Fishery Board for Scotland. 



23 



The Salmon Disease— 



1. Disease made its appearance this year in the month of November, and 



reached its height in January 1907. 

 The river was free of diseased fish in March. 



2. The number of diseased fish taken from the river and destroyed was as 



follows : — 



Males. Females. 

 Kelts, .... 286 52 



The Spawning Season— 



1. Fish were first noticed spawning on 1st of November. 



2. The greatest number spawned end of December and January. 



3. Spawning ceased about the 1st of March. 



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



spawning season is regarded as about the average; state of water 

 generally high. 



Smolts— 



1. Smolts were noticed to be migrating seawards at end of March, April, 



May, and June. 



2. As a smolt year 1907 was about the average. 



REPORT FROM TAY DISTRICT. 

 Take of Pish- 



1. As compared with the average results of previous years, the take of fish 



generally throughout the district has been under the average. Salmon 

 about average, but grilse very much under average. Salmon trout 

 slightly above average. 



2. The actual number of fish caught has been as follows : — 



[b) Bv swee^net^ 1 No means of 8 ettin % anything like 



(c) By rod and line J correct numbers of the fish cau g nt - 

 Particulars as to the times grilse and sea trout appeared are as follow : — 



Grilse late and poor in weight and numbers. Trout good in June 

 and early part of J uly. 

 4. The weight of the heaviest salmon taken during the season was 57£ lbs. 

 The particulars of time and place of capture are : — Taken by net 



in the estuary in July. 

 Another was got of 57 lbs. about the same time. A 48 lb. one was got 

 by an angler in October, and a 44 lb. one on the coast at Arbroath at 

 end of July. 



Protection— 



1. The assessable rental for 1907 was £23,202 17s. 



2. The assessment levied was £1392 3s. 4d., being at the rate of 6 per cent. 



3. The water bailiffs employed are 25 in number, 8 of whom are paid by 



the Tay Salmon Fisheries Company. 



4. Particulars as to prosecutions instituted are briefly as follow : — Since 



last report 45 cases have been tried in the Sheirff Court (37 in Perth, 

 7 in Cupar-Fife, and 1 in Forfar), involving 76 persons. The offences 

 consisted of — cleeking, 9 ; possession in close time, 9 ; stoning, &c, 9; 

 unclean fish in possession, 5 ; fishing without leave of proprietor, 4 ; 

 sniggering, 2 ; possession of cleek with intent to take salmon, 3 ; fishing 

 with roe, 2 ; breach of weekly close time, 1 : fishing with boat and 

 net in close time, 1. Of the 76 persons involved, 71 were convicted, 

 1 not proven, 2 withdrawn, and 2 deserted. Fines ranging from lis. 

 to £4 were imposed. The total fines imposed amounted to £116 Is. 9d., 

 being an average of £1 13s. 2d. for each of the 71 persons convicted. 

 Fines were paid by 29, 9 were imprisoned, 2 absconded, and 30 have 

 yet to be dealt with. The alternatives ranged from 1 to 21 days. 



c 



