of the Fishery Board for Scotland. 



37 



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



Grilse. — First grilse caught on 8th May. Chief run was in July, but, on 

 the whole, the grilse season was a good deal under average. Sea Trout 

 were got at the opening of the fishing season, and were caught occasion- 

 ally up to the end of the season. They were most plentiful in July. 



4. The weight of the heaviest salmon taken during the season was 42 lbs. 



5. The particulars of time and place of capture are : — 42 lbs., by fixed engine 



at river's mouth; 36 lbs., by sweep nets at Cruives of Don; 33 lbs., 

 by rod and line at Cruives of Don. 



Protection— 



1. The assessable rental for 1909 was £3842 10s. 



2. The assessment levied was at 14 per cent., yielding £537 19s. 



3. The water bailiffs employed are 16 in number, including inspector. Of these, 



8 are employed for 9 months in the year, 5 for 4 months, and 3 for whole 

 year. 



4. Particulars as to prosecutions instituted are briefly as follows : — Eight prose- 



cutions, implicating 15 men. Five of these cases, implicating 11 men, 

 were for taking salmon by means of gaff or snigger, or having gaff in pos- 

 session with intent ; one, implicating 2 men, for having unseasonable 

 salmon in possession ; two, implicating 2 men, were for fishing with 

 net of small mesh (one of the men having several finnocks in his 

 possession). All convicted on evidence. Fines ranged from 5s. to £5, 

 besides expenses, or alternatives of imprisonment from 5 days to 60 

 days. Three men paid fines, 11 went to prison, and one was simply 

 admonished and dismissed. 



Obstructions to the Passage of Fish. 



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



No new dam dykes built, and none of the old dykes have been disused. 



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



3. Fish passes built or in prospect: — There are prospects of considerable 



alterations for the better upon the passes both at Mugiemoss and 

 Stoneywood. 



4. Natural obstructions not yet dealt with are : — Practically no natural 



obstructions exist in the river or tributaries. 



Pollutions— 



1. The existing pollutions are : — Sewage from Bucksburn, Bankhead, and 



Stoneywood, at each of which places a considerable population is located. 

 Also mill refuse from paper mills and manufactories along lower portion 

 of river. 



2. Remedial measures : — Some of the manufactories have, it is understood, 



adopted remedial measures with a view to lessening the pollution, and 

 others are considering at present as to same. 



The Salmon Disease— 



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



reached its height in December. 

 The river was not quite free of disease, but greatly diminished by end of 

 January. 



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



follows : — 



Males. Females. 

 Kelts, 197 110 



The Spawning Season— 



1. Fish were first noticed spawning on 14th October. 



2. The greatest number spawned about middle of December. 



3. Spawning ceased practically at latter end of January. 



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



of breeding fish observed were about the usual average, but, for nearly 

 a fortnight of what should have been the most productive weeks of the 

 breeding season, the river was icebound, which no doubt acted 

 detrimentally, so that, on the whole, the breeding season is considered 

 to have been rather disappointing. 



