Report on Salmon Fisheries. 



ix 



50. 



The Aberdeen Harbour Commissioners have kindly furnished a p^^jj"^^^ 

 statement of the number and weight of fish caught at their salmon the Sahnon 

 fishings on the river Dee and the sea coast adjoining since 1872. ^^jj^"?^,^^ 

 This return is given on page x., and shows that a scarcity of the^lbeSeen 

 grilse was a marked feature in last year's fishing season. In one Harbour Com- 

 only of the twenty-six years for which statistics are available were 

 fewer grilse caught. Salmon were more numerous than in eight 

 previous years, although considerably below the average of recent 

 years. The decrease in the total number of fish caught is also due, 

 in a measure, to the comparatively small number of sea trout 

 which were taken. 



With regard to salmon disease in 1897, it is reported from the Salmon 

 Tay that the disease made its appearance, but that the number of D^'^ease. 

 fish affected cannot be stated ; from the North Esk, that the num- 

 ber taken out of the river was 507, as against 175 in the previous 

 year; from the Aberdeenshire Dee, that there was very little 

 appearance of disease ; from the Don, that 145 diseased fish were 

 taken out of the river, being an increase of 107 on 1896 ; from the 

 Ythan, that 61 fish succumbed, as against 467 in the previous 

 year ; and from the Deveron, that 243 fish died of the disease. In 

 the Spey district the number of fish affected appears to have been 

 below the average ; while in the rivers of the east coast of Suther- 

 landshire, the Stinchar, the Nith, and the Annan, the disease is 

 reported to have shown itself only to a very slight extent. 



During 1897 Mr. Archer inspected the rivers North Esk, South inspections 

 Esk, Deveron, Kirtle, and Nith, the works erected by the Glasgow ^^""^^1897. 

 Waterworks Commissioners at the outlet of Loch Katrine, and the 

 salmon fishings, at Bonar Bridge on the Kyle of Sutherland. His 

 general report to the Board is given on p. 5, and a special report 

 on Craigo and Morphie dam dykes in Note II. of the Appendices to 

 this Eeport. From the latter Report it appears that Craigo dyke is 

 not constructed in accordance with the bye-law (Schedule G, 31 

 and 32 Vic. c. 123) ; and that at Morphie dyke the unavoidable 

 difficulty which salmon experience in ascending every fish-pass is 

 increased by the want, under normal conditions, of a sufficient 

 volume of water to attract them, the deficiency being caused (a) by 

 the substitution of turbines in place of water wheels, and (b) by the 

 exemption, under Sec. 12 of the Act of 1868 (31 and 32 Vic. cap. 

 123), of the Kinnaber lade from the provisions of the bye-law as to 

 the closing of sluices. It is satisfactory to note from his general 

 report that steps were taken during last year, in the districts of 

 the South Esk, Deveron, and Kyle of Sutherland, to unite the 

 divergent interests which have hitherto stood in the way of the 

 better regulation of the fishings in the confined waters. The 

 improvement in the fisheries, as we pointed out in our Eleventh 

 Annual Eeport, which have followed in those cases where the 

 general interests have been studied instead of the individual 

 appear to indicate that the salmon fisheries are capable of develop- 

 ment, not only to the benefit of each proprietor, but also to the 

 increase of the food supply, if united action were more generally 

 adopted. An example of the low value to which salmon fishings 

 may fall, when District Boards neglect to enforce the provisions of 



