36 



Appendices to Twenty-eighth Annual Report 



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

 implicating 7 men ; two of these cases implicated 5 men. Complaints were 

 for being in possession of nets of small mesh and with sea trout in bags. 

 Fines ranged from 5s. to £5, besides expenses ; 3 men paid fines, &c, 

 and 2 went to prison. The other two cases implicated 2 men ; com- 

 plaints were for having smolts in their possession. Both cases settled 

 out of Court. 



Obstructions as to the Passage of Fish— 



1. Dam dykes disused, built, or in prospect. State particulars of any such : — 



No dam dykes. 



2. Are the bye-laws observed in every case ? — No cause for complaint. Bye- 



laws have generally been properly observed. 



3. Fish passes built or in prospect : — No fish passes, and none in prospect so 



far as is known. 



4. Natural obstructions not yet dealt with are : — In tributaries — one in the 



Feugh, near Banchory, and the other in the Luie, in the Braemar district. 

 Both are referred to in previous reports, and remain unchanged. 



Pollutions— 



1. The existing pollutions are : — 1, Sewage from the City of Aberdeen ; 2, 



discharge from Culter Paper Mills, about eight miles up the river ; and 

 3, sewage discharges from several drainage districts, country tillages, 

 and mansion-houses, &c, along course of river. 



2. Remedial measures: — The evil which long arose from the sewage of the 



town of Aberdeen has been greatly lessened since the large sewer was 

 completed last year. At Culter Paper Mills, also, it is understood that 

 a process has been adopted of submitting refuse (which formerly found 

 its way into the river) to high pressure, which has the effect of converting 

 it into a solid substance resembling oil cake, but of a lighter colour. 

 This substance is sent south to mills where it is useful in the making of 

 a strong, though coarse, grey paper, for which there is a market. The 

 pollution is, however, still serious. 



The Salmon Disease— 



1. The river has not been free of diseased fish during the whole year, and may 



be said to have reached it height in December. 



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



follows : — 



Males. Females. 



Kelts, 595 111 



Clean, 97 (sex not known). 



The Spawning Season— 



1. Fish were first noticed spawning on 10th October, 1909. 



2. The greatest number spawned in upper reaches of Dee and tributaries in the 



end of October and first two weeks of November. 



3. Spawning ceased practically in first week of January, 1910. 



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



spawning season is regarded as fairly satisfactory. 



Smolts— 



1. Smolts were noticed to be migrating seawards early in April. 



2. As a smolt year 1909 was a good average both as to numbers and size. It 



was remarked that the smolts appeared to be better grown than usual, 

 and altogether a very promising breed. 



REPORT FROM DON 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 — Above the average. 



(b) By sweep net in tidal or fresh waters — Above the average. 



(c) By rod and line — About average ; perhaps rather under. 



