viii 
Report on Salmon Fisheries. 
Alteration of 
close time 
applicable to 
the Tay. 
Rental of the 
Tay Salmon 
Fisheries. 
Salmon Fish- 
ings in Loch 
Tay. 
boxes were sent to Billingsgate; and the worst was 1851, when 
only 11,593 boxes were sent; thus showing a difference of no less 
than 30,737 boxes between the best year and the worst. 
If we take the value of the 21,101 boxes of Scotch salmon sent 
to Billingsgate in 1889, at the moderate valuation of £110,780, and 
add to this the same sum as the value of the 6almon consumed in 
Scotland, and sent from Scotland elsewhere than to London, we 
get £221,560 as the value of the Scotch Salmon Fisheries for 1889. 
In the Inspector of Salmon Fisheries first Eeport to the Board 
in 1883, a return to the old close time of the Tay, previously to 
the passing of Home Drummond's Act in 1828, was strongly advo- 
cated for various reasons, and, in particular, because it would be 
likely to abate the poaching prevalent at Newburgh and other 
places on the river. This alteration has now been carried out 
by Order under the Secretary for Scotland's hand, dated 15th 
May 1888, so that the Tay now belongs to the largest group of 
Scotch Salmon Rivers whose close time is from 27th August to 
10th February, both days inclusive. There is good authority for 
stating that the 6 days added to the netting season by this altera- 
tion have already had some effect in diminishing poaching. 
For the 2 last years there has been a falling off in the rental 
of the salmon fishings in the Tay, the chief salmon river in Scot- 
land. The following is a statement of the rental from 1883 to 
both years inclusive: — 
1883, ^'17,773 
1889, 
1884, 
1885, 
1886, 
1887, 
1888, 
1889, 
19,655 
20,417 
22,542 
22,143 
19,655 
17,731 
2 
14 
0 
2 
16 
0 
0 
This shows a falling off in the rental of 1888, as compared with 
1887, of £2,488, 16s. 7d., and in that of 1889, as compared with 
1888, of £1924. It is anticipated that the rental for 1890 will be 
about the sanle as that for 1889. The decrease has been almost 
entirely in the fishings between the mouth of the Earn and Perth, 
or what is known as the ' mid-water.' 
In 1889, 261 salmon weighing 4925 lbs., or an average of 18 lb. 
14 oz. each, were taken by the rod in Loch Tay — certainly the 
finest salmon loch in the United Kingdom, taking into considera- 
tion the number and size of the fish combined. 
The following are the results of the salmon fishings in Loch Tay 
for the last 7 years: — 
Year. 
No. of Fish. 
Weight in lbs. 
Average Weight. 
1883 
461 
9679 
19 lbs. 11 oz. 
1884 
240 
4710 
19 „ 10 „ 
1885 
398 
8167 
20 „ 8 „ 
1886 
379 
7652 
20 „ 3 „ 
1887 
227 
4385 
19 „ 5 „ 
1888 
378 
7006 
18 „ 8 „ 
1889 
261 
4925 
18 „ 14 „ 
