of the Fishery Board for Scotia ad. 



33 



III. — Disease among Fish. 

 The fish disease statistics for season 1896-97 were, as usual, noted upon the 

 Fiddich. During the last seven years I gave in my annual report the yearly 

 percentage of fish dying from fungoid disease ujion Fiddich during eacli 

 spawning season, calculating the percentage of dead fish to the number of 

 spawning beds counted on the stream during the season. It should, howevei-, 

 be noted that as it takes two fish to form a spawning bed, the actual death- 

 rate among the spawning fish is only one-half of that given in my percentages. 

 During the seven seasons the average death-rate, calculated as above stated, 

 was practically 15 per cent. During last season the number of spawning beds 

 counted upon Fiddich was 292, and the number of dead or dying fish removed 

 was 21, or somewhat over 7 per cent. The previous seven years showed 

 percentages varying from 21 down to 8. The returns handed in by bailiffs 

 as to burying of dead or dying fish during last season were as follows : — 

 December 4th, 1 male salmon; 2nd January, 3 male grilse; 9th January, 1 

 male grilse and 2 male salmon ; 16th January, 2 male grilse and 4 male 

 salmon ; 23rd January, 2 male grilse ; IStli February, 1 male sea trout ; 6th 

 March, 2 male salmon ; 20th March, 1 male grilse and 1 male salmon; 27th 

 March, 1 male grilse — total 21, all of which were males, and all were spawned. 



IV. — Poaching during the Year. 

 During the year one case of salmon poaching committed during the annual 

 close time was tried before the Sheriff Court at Banff. The accused was 

 convicted, and sentenced to pay a fine of ^1, with £2 2s, of expenses, or suffer 

 7 days' imprisonment. Other three cases, involving three persons, in which 

 the accused while angling during the open time were found by the bailiffs to 

 be in possession of parr or salmon fry, were disposed of by having each of the 

 three accused brought before a J. P. and admonished. 



V. — Bye-Laivs. 



The Bye-Laws relating to dam dykes, mill lades, sluices, hecks, etc., were 

 carried out or attended to fairly well by the respective owners of same over 

 all the district during the season. The old meal mill dam dyke on DuUan at 

 Pittyvaich, Dufftown- -the mill is now replaced by a distillery — w^as during 

 ^last autumn reconstructed, and a more improved fish pass built by the 

 Distiller}'' Company. 



Genei'al Remarlis. 



The river and sea coast net salmon fishing opened on 11th February, and. 

 closed again for the season upon the 26th August. The carrying out of the 

 weekly close time over the district during the season was regularly insj)ected 

 by the Superintendent, the Inspector, and Bailiff" John M'Donald. The 

 observance given to the carrying out of the requirements anent the " weekly 

 slap " were regular and sincere on the part of the fishermen and those 

 responsible, thus giving no grounds for complaint or notification of infringe- 

 ment being made or reported to the Board. 



Another half million of salmon fry, successfully hatched at His Grace the 

 Duke of Richmond and Gordon's hatchery at Fochabers, were during early 

 summer put into the river in a strong, healthy state, and at a stage when 

 liberty in their natural element should be the best or most essential factor 

 during their fry gradational age, I visited the hatchery twice during the time 

 that the fry were to be seen therein, and the sight of so many living masses of 

 salmon fry was well worth going a long way to see. This extensive hatchery 

 was erected and filled in the autumn of 1892 (a small or temporary one, also 

 belonging to His Grace, having been in previous use for some two seasons 

 nearer the mouth of the river), consequently the last liberated fry were the 

 fifth lot turned out of the Fochabers hatchery. Mr. Thomas Rae, overseer of 

 fishings at Tugnet, who has the management of this hatchery, informs me 

 that it is meantime proposed to considerably enlarge the hatchery. 



The full force of bailiffs or Spey police is constituted as follows: — The 

 superintendent, residing at Aberlour ; the inspector, stationed at Grantown ;. 

 eight sergeants, and thirty-seven constables. 



GEORGE K. MACGREGOR, SwperinUndent. 



