38 



Appendices to Twenty- fifth Annual Report 



Protection— 



1. The assessable rental for 1906 was— East Coast £2160, West Coast £1317 ; 



but angling is mostly let with shootings and not apportioned at full 

 value. 



2. No assessment was levied. 



3. The water bailiffs employed are 4 in number, but all estate gamekeepers 



are bound to assist in watching rivers and streams. 



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



men were prosecuted for poaching salmon on the Craggie Burn, a 

 tributary of the River Helmsdale, on 16th October ; they were fined 

 30s. each. 



Obstructions to the Passage of Fish— 



1. Dam dykes disused, built, or in prospect : — No new dams or dykes have 



been built beyond those already reported on. 



2. With regard to the observance of bye-laws : — The bye-laws have been 



observed. 



Pollutions- 

 There are none as far as is known. 



The Salmon Disease— 



1. Disease made its appearance this year in the months of November and 



December, and reached its height in July. 



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



follows : — 





Males. 



Females. 



Kelts, . . . " . 



3 





Clean, .... 



1 



Unspawned. 





These were the only diseased fish seen, one on Brora and three on Lower 

 Helmsdale. 



The Spawning Season— 



1. Fish were first noticed spawning on October 16th on River Brora, and 



October 25th on River Helmsdale. 



2. The greatest number spawned between the 3rd and 15th November. 



3. Spawniug ceased towards the end of November. 



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



spawning season is regarded as unsatisfactory. There was a greater 

 number of breeding fish, but the water was too high for good results. 



Smolts— 



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



2. As a smolt year 1906 was a very good one on the Helmsdale, but below 



the average on the Brora. 



Artificial Propagation of Salmon— 



1. The number of ova secured locally during the past season was well over 



a million. 



2. In securing ova the numbers of male and female fish captured were 



respectively, 2 to 2 on the lower beats of the Helmsdale, and 4 to 1 

 on Upper Helmsdale. 



