of the Fishery Board for Scotland. 23 



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



First grilse caught 14th April. Sea trout appeared early in March. 



3. The weight of the heaviest salmon taken during the season was 43 lbs. 

 The particulars of time and place of capture are : — August 7th, at 



Berryhill Station, in the sea. 



Protection— 



1. The assessable rental for 1905-1906 was £4172 10s. 



2. The assessment levied was at the rate of 14 per cent. = £584 3s. 4d. 



3. The water bailiffs employed are 15 in number during close time. Of the 



15, two and the inspector are employed for the whole year. 



4. Particulars as to prosecutions instituted are briefly as follows : — 13 



prosecutions, implicating 19 individuals — using or being in possession 

 of a gaff, 8 ; fishing with " snigger " hooks, 1 ; being in possession of 

 foul salmon, 2 ; fishing with illegal nets, 2. All convicted. Fines 

 ranged from 5s. to £5, besides expenses. Of the 19 individuals, 5 paid 

 fine and expenses, 7 went to prison, 7 are yet at large, the police not 

 having yet succeeded in apprehending them. 



Obstructions to the Passage of Fish— 



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



2. With regard to the observance of bye-laws : — No cause for complaint as 



to non-observance of bye-laws by owners or tenants of fishings. 



3. Fish passes built or in prospect : — None. 



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



natural obstructions on the Don requiring attention. 



Pollutions— 



1. The existing pollutions are discharges from paper mills on the 



banks of the lower river, and sewage matter from the northern 

 district of the city of Aberdeen, extending also into the country- 

 that is beyond the limits of the city boundary. 



2. Remedial measures : — A large sewer is now in course of construction 



along the north bank of the river from Grandhome Bridge, about 3 . 

 miles from the sea — that is at the northern extremity of the city 

 boundary — which, it is hoped, will clear the river of all deleterious 

 matter arising within the city boundary, discharging it into the sea. 

 It is believed that this sewer will be in operation before the close of 

 1907. 



The Salmon Disease— 



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



reached its height in the middle of January. 

 The river was free of diseased fish in the middle of April. 



2. The number of diseased fish taken from the river and destroyed was 85, 



as follows : — 





Males. 



Females. 



Kelts, .... 



50 



35 



Clean, .... 







The Spawning Season— 



1. Fish were first noticed spawning on 15th November. 



2. The greatest number spawned during December. 



3. Spawning ceased about the end of January. 



