34 



Appendices to Twenty -eighth Annual Report 



3. The water bailiffs employed are 12 in number, including superintendent. 



4. Particulars as to prosecutions instituted are briefly as follow : — Four, for 



dragging for salmon. Convictions obtained in three cases ; the other 

 held not proven. 



Obstructions to the Passage of Fish— 



1. Dam dykes disused, built, or in prospect — None. 



2. Are the bye-laws observed in every case ? — Yes. 



3. Fish passes built or in prospect — None. 



4. Natural obstructions not yet dealt with are : — "Loups" on North Esk, about 



12 miles from mouth. "Loups" on West Water (tributary), about 12 

 miles from mouth. 



Pollutions— 



1. The principal existing source of pollution is the effluent from North Esk 



Distillery, about a mile from the mouth of the river. 



2. Remedial measures : — Filtering tanks. 



The Salmon Disease— 



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



reached its height in January. 

 The river was free of diseased fish in April. Disease appeared again in 

 June and continued until the end of the season. 



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



follows : — 



Males. Females. 



Kelts, 434 136 



Clean, 20 23 



The Spawning Season 



1. Fish were first noticed spawning on 20th November. 



2. The greatest number spawned in December and January. 



3. Spawning ceased early in February. 



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



spawning season is regarded as rather above average. 



Smolts— 



1. Smolts were noticed to be migrating seawards in April, May, and June. 



2. As a smolt year 1909 was very good. 



Note. — By a clerical error in the 12th Section of the Act of 1868 the word 

 "less" is used in place of "more," relating to the raising, during the 

 weekly close time, of the Kinnaber Lade Sluice, at the Morphie Dyke. 

 This was proposed to be amended by Sub-Section (ii.) of Section 29 of 

 the Salmon Fisheries (Scotland) Bill, 1905. It is now proposed to 

 alter it, by Clause 28 of the Provisional Order which is being applied 

 for by the Town Council of Montrose, with the view of obtaining an 

 additional supply of water for the town. 



REPORT FROM BERVIE DISTRICT. 

 Take of Fish— 



1. State whether the take of fish has been above or below the average of 



previous years — 



(a) By fixed engines in the sea — Salmon and sea trout above ; grilse 



slightly below. 

 (6) By sweep net in tidal or fresh waters — Above, 

 (c) By rod and line — Above. 



2. Cannot give statistics of the actual number of fish caught. 



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

 The first grilse was taken in the sea on 18th May ; sea trout were got 

 in abundance about the 28th of J une — both dates being about the same 

 as in previous years. - 

 4. The weight of the heaviest salmon taken during the season was 46 lbs. 



The particulars of time and place of capture are : — On 16th July, in a bag- 

 net at West Shield Hill. 



