38 Appendices to Twenty -eighth Annual Report 



Smolts- 



1. Smolts were noticed to be migrating seawards in the middle of April. 



2. As a smolt year 1909 was a very good average. 



REPORT FROM YTHAN 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 — About average in number, but above 



average in weight. 



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



(c) By rod and line — Below average, but better than in 1907 and 



1908. 



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



/za ^ xe( ^ en oi ne 1 This information cannot be obtained, 

 (o) By sweep net — j 



(c) By rod and line— About 130 salmon. 



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



Sea trout appeared in Ythan in July, and grilse in August. 



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

 The particulars of time and place of capture are :— July, at Port Erroll 



fishings, in a bag-net. 



Protection— 



1. The assessable rental for 1909 was £1352. 



2. The assessment levied was £167 15s. 6d., being a little over 2s. 5|d. per £. 



3. The water bailiffs employed are 5 in number — 1 all the year, and 4 extra 



during close time. 



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



of prosecution, implicating three persons — two against lessees of salmon 

 fishings for failing to remove leaders from bag-nets during weekly close 

 time. One paid £19 and the other £17. . The third complaint was 

 against a man for contravention of Section 15 (1) of "The Salmon 

 Fisheries (Scotland) Act, 1868." Fined 10s., with £1 2s. of expenses. 



Pollutions— 



1. The existing pollutions are : — Ellon Burgh sewage. 



2. Remedial measures : — None. 



The Salmon Disease— 



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



reached its height in February. 

 The river was free of diseased fish in April. 



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



follows :— 



Males. Females. 



Kelts, 62 10 



Clean, ...... 1 — 



The Spawning Season— 



1. Fish were first noticed spawning on 3rd December, 1908. 



2. The greatest number spawned from 1st to 14th January. 



3. Spawning ceased in February. 



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



spawning season is regarded as favourable. 



Smolts— 



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



2. As a smolt year 1909 was very good. 



