of the Fishery Board for Scotland. 21 



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

 as follows : — 





Males. 



Females. 



Kelts, .... 



24 



20 



Clean, . . . . 







The Spawning Season— 



1. Fish were first noticed spawning on 28th Oc tober. 



2. The greatest number spawned in December. 



3. Spawning ceased by the middle of January. 



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



spawning season is regarded as having been one of the best, the river 

 having been full during the most of the spawning season, and no 

 frost to check the fish from spawning. 



Smolts— 



1. Smolts were noticed to be migrating seawards in the beginning of May. 



2. As a smolt year 1906 was very favourable. 



REPORT FROM DEE (ABERDEENSHIRE) DISTRICT. 

 Take of Fish— 



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



generally throughout the district has been : — 



(a) By fixed engines in the sea, far below the average. 



(6) By sweep net in tidal or fresh waters, nearly an average. 



(c) By rod and line, a fair average. 



2. Particulars as to the times grilse and sea trout appeared are as follows : — 



First grilse caught in sea (at Muchalls), 3rd March. First grilse caught 

 in river (at Raik and Stells), 25th April, by net. First grilse caught 

 in river (at Banchory-Ternan) by line (rod), 15th June. First sea 

 trout appeared in tidal waters early in April, and were most plentiful 

 in April and May. 



3. The weight of the heaviest salmon taken during the season was 56 lbs. 

 The particulars of time and place of capture are : — 56 lbs., on sea 



coast with fixed engine at Cowie, near Stonehaven, on 27th July ; 

 35 lbs., with net in tidal waters at Torry on 25th July ; 38 lbs., 

 by rod in river at Ballater on 10th October. Generally, over all, the 

 number of salmon caught of from 30 lbs. to 35 lbs. has been larger 

 than usual. 



Protection— 



1. The assessable rental for 1906 was £19,068 Is. lOd. 



2. The assessment levied was at the rate of 5| per cent.=£l048 14s. 7d. 



3. The water bailiffs employed are 23 in number during close time ; reduced 



to 4 during June, July, and August. 



4. Particulars as to prosecutions instituted are briefly as follows : — 11 cases 



of prosecutions, implicating 18 persons — 

 2 cases — 4 persons using set nets during close time. 



8 cases — 12 persons for having unclean salmon in possession and using 



"snigger" hooks. % 

 1 case — 2 persons for failing to observe the weekly close time on sea coast. 



11 18 



Fines ranged from £1 to £10, besides expenses. Nine individuals paid, 

 5 went to prison, 2 acquitted, 1 case withdrawn, 1 case settled out of 

 court, 

 c 



